


A Primal Right

by lovenhardt1



Series: Werewolf 'verse. [2]
Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2012-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-02 09:55:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 57,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovenhardt1/pseuds/lovenhardt1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You know that feeling of being in control? Of knowing what happens next? You’ve got it all worked out, knows it’ll be hard work but worth it. You’re so focused on carefully laid plans that you kinda forgot about you…. but then something or someone comes along and changes everything. Suddenly you’re not even in charge of your own heart anymore. Yeah. That’s what happened to me. </p>
<p>Sit down and let me tell you a story… you might want to put your legs up and get comfortable, we’ll be here for a while.</p>
<p>It all began a day I was letting my wolf have some fun in the woods…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimers: The people you might recognize in here are NOT mine. I'm not making any profit, I'm only doing this for fun. There is no way this ever happened and so on. Oh…. And werewolves don’t exist either…. Sowry.
> 
> Beta: thrace_adams. Thank you sweetie for all your help, I love you so much for it! All your hard work made mine shine.
> 
> This fic is written for my dear friend dkymekare because she loves wolves above. 
> 
> I had some really incredible cheerleaders on this fic!!! I love you all dearly! And I couldn’t have done it without you! So THANK YOU!!!
> 
> Please do not link/copy/share/whatever this anywhere. Thank you.

I heard them before I smelled them, the loud roar from the bear and the painful scream of an injured human being.

I have no idea why I reacted the way I did. Humans are not important to us; it's not that we dislike them, we just don’t care. They’re not a part of the pack, so they are none of our concern. The pack is all that matters.

Nevertheless I found myself in front of the guy on the ground, doing my best to ignore the metallic, salty delicious smell of his blood. I snarled and fixed my eyes on the bear, hoping to read his next move. My heart was beating violently in my chest, I’m a were – a wolf, born to be my pack’s next alpha, but this enemy was a very real danger to my life. The bear’s fetid breath hit my senses. It growled at me and rose up on its hind legs and my entire body tensed.

I stood my ground, ready to attack if he moved so much as an inch closer. _What the hell am I doing??_ ran through my head just before I heard Mia’s _Tommy!_ in my mind. I felt her fear and dismissed it; if I took my focus off the bear he would kill me and the sorry excuse for a human bleeding on the ground.

I didn’t turn to look at her, but knew she was right at the edge of the woods. She was watching the bear and me and as much as I needed her help I really didn’t want her to intervene.

The boy’s breath came out hard and gasping and in the corner of my eye I saw him trying to put pressure on the wounds in his leg; the blood was seeping through his fingers and painting everything red. He was hurt badly and if this took too long I wouldn’t be able to help him. His huge blue eyes stared at us, wide with fear, trying to figure out which one of us was the biggest threat to him.

The bear roared and foam splattered against me but before he had a chance to get back down on all fours to have a go at me he was attacked by a slim, brown wolf. 

Mia had decided to come to my rescue. I took advantage and leapt forward to sink my teeth into one of his hind legs and he whined in pain as his eyes rolled. Mia and I circled the huge animal, my mouth filled with the taste of his blood. 

His eyes were following our every step; I could smell his doubt and beginning fear, so I stopped to look him directly in the eye and a low growl worked its way from my stomach and out into the open. He flinched and I barked and made damn sure to flash my canine teeth. He snorted and turned around to leave, limping his way into the woods.

I lifted my head and let out a satisfying howl at the sky above me. A moan behind me called me back to reality. The boy was lying on the ground staring at me with fear in his eyes. I lowered my head and tilted it a bit, my mind filled with confusion as I wondered why the hell I had thrown myself into the fray to protect him. I'd failed my ruler and broken our laws because of him. His blood poured into the soil and the metallic smell blurred my judgment.I had to fight the urge to taste him. 

_ Tommy? _ Mia sounded concerned and I looked at her.

_ Get the hell out of here! _ I growled and she dropped to her stomach and crawled her way up to me. When she reached me she lifted her head and gently licked my jaw.

_ What are you gonna do? _ She asked fearfully. Anger flared in me and my reply wasn’t up to its usual standards when I snarled it out between gritted teeth.

_ I’m not gonna kill him; I fucking just put both our lives in danger to save his ass. Now get out of here. I need you to leave right now. _

_ Tommy! _

_ NOW!  _ She made a low complaining noise but got on her feet and snuck back into the forest, her tail so low between her legs it almost brushed against her stomach.

I turned my attention to the guy; he was clearly in excruciating pain, his face twisted in agony and terror. I looked at his wounds, they were serious and he was bleeding out pretty fast. 

He looked like he was about my age.Mid-twenties, strong, muscle-toned limbs, round face, black hair, healthy, and blue eyes.Eyes that made me wonder if they were blue or grey. I put him in the obnoxious ‘hiker’ category. His hair was damp and clinging to the sweat breaking out on his skin. But he was still beautiful. I damned the entire human race for their fragility. 

Something about him intrigued me very much and my heart was aching at the thought of him dying at my feet. The feeling left me so confused.

I sniffed him carefully, letting his scent fill my senses. He tried to get away from me but he was already too weak to give it a decent try. He collapsed and groaned in pain and defeat. 

To this day I’ll never understand what made me act the way I did. I mean, I know but I still don’t quite understand. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it would get me in trouble, but I still did it. I changed in front of him. The only conscious thought in my head was that I had-- no, _needed--_ to save his life.

His eyes grew even wider when he saw my white wolf with golden eyes turn into my human form, my brown eyes searching his face for new terror. I didn’t find any; instead there was wonder and curiosity.

I knelt beside him and reached out to assess the damages without my wolf’s need to taste his blood. He kept his gaze locked on me and opened his mouth to speak to me. His voice! Oh my god his voice, it was velvety and smooth even though it was weak, somehow it touched every fiber of my skin, making it tingle.

“Who are you?”

I didn’t answer, I let my teeth show and bit my wrist. Blood dripped slowly and I extended my arm to him.

“Drink,” I prompted.

“No!” He didn’t show one bit of fear. 

I kept my eyes on him, waiting. He still didn’t comply. I must say I kinda admired that, dude’s got balls; too bad they could end up killing him.

“You need to; you’ll die if you don’t. I can’t get you out of here fast enough to get you to a hospital. You’ll die before any human can help you.” 

I glared at him and made an impatient wiggle with my wrist. A wave of pain made his body shudder and he moaned quietly. With a small sigh he weakly took hold of my wrist and brought it to his lips.

I really can’t explain what that did to me. Him touching me--it made my skin buzz and the tingling feeling that his voice caused almost exploded inside me.My blood was on fire and I felt weak, or maybe under his spell. It wasn't that I wasn't familiar with lust, want or even need. But this feeling had me in unfamiliar territory. It took root in my soul more than my body and I felt _owned._ It scared the living daylights out of me. 

He sucked harder once he felt the healing change in him and his breathing got lighter, less troubled. He kept looking me in the eye, all of his emotions displayed just for me to see. I tore my eyes from his and checked his healing wounds, my fingers itching to touch, but somehow I managed to control my impulses. 

When he stopped drinking and let go of my wrist I felt _empty, deprived,_ instantly missing his touch. But I buried it in the back of my mind and brought my wrist to my mouth and licked the wound to close it. His were eyes glued to me, seeing everything and more importantly seeing me.

“Who are you? You saved my life; I need to know who you are.” His voice was soft, filled with wonder and awe. 

I growled deep in my throat as a warning and shook my head. I got to my feet and he surprised me when he did the same. I stepped back, looking at him. His wounds had closed and the only proof of the bear’s attack was his ripped clothes. He looked strong and I was thinking that I might have misjudged this human’s strength.

He looked down at himself to take in the damage and then he fixed his eyes on me again. Openly and with a curious gaze he looked me over and for the first time I was painfully aware of my nudity. _I need to get the hell out of here_ , I thought _._ But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Didn’t know how to.

Slowly he reached out to touch my face, a small smile on his lips and that’s when I noticed the freckles. He must have noticed my attention because his smile grew wider, knowing. His scent had changed, he felt it too, the overwhelming attraction. When his hand finally brushed against my skin, the electric jolts ricocheting through my blood somehow made me pull back. It was too much, too intense. 

I stepped back, memorizing his face, the beautiful features and turned away to leave, knowing I was never to see him again.

“Wait!”

“You’ll be fine! Get out of the woods and go home. And don’t come back. It’s not safe out here!” with those words I changed back and the wolf took me into the woods in one powerful leap. Sometimes escape is the only way to save yourself. I had to go home and fix things with Mia and hope that my world wouldn’t collapse, knowing my alpha - my mother - would not be impressed by my actions.

 

 

Arriving at home was even worse than I imagined it would be. 

First of all I was greeted by Mia waiting for me at the edge of the meadow. Her ears perked up when she saw me, then flattened as she lowered her head and her tail went down between her legs. Her posture screamed submissiveness. My heart dropped to my stomach. _Baby I’m sorry, please don’t be like that._

Her ears perked up again but she kept her eyes to the ground. Sometimes, if not all the time, I fucking hated being the next in command. Even though Mia is her pack’s alpha, me being Beta in my own pack still made her want to submit if I really meant it, and I truly hated that and I never wanted to see her like that. I bumped my nose against hers and she pushed back and met my eyes. _What happened?_

_ Nothing. _ I sneaked a peak at the porch expecting to see my mother at the banister waiting for me to fess up my incredibly stupid mistake, because somehow she always fucking knew. Mia of course noticed. _Darren is here, making sure everything is ready for the ceremony._ Oh shit, there was no way I could walk in there smelling like blood and human. My trouble with mom had nothing on the wrath of Darren. 

Mia nuzzled me and because she knows me so fucking well I didn’t even have to verbalize my concern before she rubbed herself all over me. _There love, now it’s a little disguised but take the back door and hit the shower. I’ll meet you in your room when you’re done. And you can tell me all about what didn’t happen okay?_

I let her know it was okay with a tiny nod and crossed the meadow as quietly as possible. Totally stealth-like I went around the back, changed into my human form, and snuck into my room to haul out a new set of clothes and before going for the bathroom. 

After a quick but thorough shower I dried off thinking about how I should explain things to Mia, or what I should explain. I still didn’t have any good reason for acting the way I did. But I figured that if I could actually tell Mia and maybe make her understand then there was a little, okay tiny, chance that my mother wouldn’t tear off my head when I was forced to confess to her. 

Opening the door to my room I spotted Mia on my bed facing the TV and flipping through channels. 

“Hey.” I walked over to the bed and crawled in behind her, she turned to look at me with questions, and lots of them, written all over her pretty face.

“Hey,” she said in a soft tone.

There isn’t exactly a lot of space in my bed and she was pretty much sprawled all over it. “Scoot!”

She moved over and snuggled close as soon as I settled down. I put my arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. She went back to search for something good to watch but asked, “So?”

“Honestly?I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Hmm. Then start with what you do know. What happened after you sent me away?”

The thing about Mia is that she knows how to push all of my buttons, well almost all of them, and right there she totally pushed the guilt button. And as always I fucking caved.

“Uhm, he was bleeding out and there was just one thing left I could do…so that’s what I did.”

“You bit him??” The horror in her voice made me wince. Like I would ever do that! You just don’t turn anyone that isn’t aware of the catch and you sure as hell don’t do it to someone that isn’t asking and your pack doesn’t approve of.

“What the hell, Mia? No, I fed him some of my blood. And when he was healed up I told him to get his ass out of there and never come back.” I very deliberately left out what that had made me feel like. The feeling of loss was mine. Mine alone and why worry her anyway?

“You mixed blood with him? Tell me you didn’t.” again her train wreck of thoughts scared me a little, did she really think I would be so reckless as to take something from him that would be meant for a mate? That I would change my scent and tie myself to him forever…. To save him? A stranger? Deeply offended, I answered her question.

“Do I smell like that? No, I didn’t. I offered him a chance to survive on my blood and he took it. Okay?”

She sounded tired and strained, “No, it’s not okay, why did you do that? He’s just a human; he shouldn’t be any of your concern, Tommy.” 

Man, she had a good point there.

“I know that and I don’t know why… I just felt like it was something I had to do. _Needed_ to do.”

She turned to look at me, her eyes searching for answers. She put her arms around my neck and I put a leg over hers to bring us closer. She sniffed my throat and kissed it softly before speaking, her voice barely a whisper,

“You needed to save him?”

“Yeah, it was like… I didn’t even get a say in it, my wolf reacted and suddenly I was trying to keep him from harm and the next thing I’m sitting next to him naked as the day I was born biting my wrist to save him from dying.”

“And?” she prompted, raising both her eyebrows; the demanding look in her eyes making me squirm. I couldn’t help but wonder if she somehow knew about the weird powerful connection I'd felt when the guy had looked at me and the violent explosion of wanting to own and be owned when we actually touched.

“What do you mean, ‘and’?” I knew the stall wouldn’t work but I still had to try.

She narrowed her eyes and saw right through my act. “Aww come on, Tommy, you’re not stupid. Tell me, I want to know.”

Damn her and damn my fucking life!

“But I don’t know what to tell you! What is it you want to know? That I felt some kind of strange connection? That I wanted to keep him safe forever? That he was fucking gorgeous, with precious freckles? Making me want something I could never have? That I fucking had to run out of there as fast as my fucking legs could carry me as soon as he asked for my name, wanting to know who saved his ass? Or that my heart still aches knowing that I’ll never see him again? Or the fact that I know that saving his fucking ass might have been the dumbest thing I’ve ever done because it jeopardizes the new pack? If Darren finds out about me breaking the laws like this I’ll never be allowed to step up to the alpha role, I’ll be an outcast, every god damn dream you and I ever talked about could be tossed out with the bathwater. So tell me what it is you want to know about Mia, because I’m not really sure what you’re asking for here.”

She looked at me with pity in her eyes and brushed my hair away from my face, tucking it gently behind my right ear. “Oh baby. This is bad.”

“I fucking know! I need to keep this under the radar until the ceremony is over and you and I are bound together. I promise I’ll do my best not to fail you, or everyone else for that matter.”

“No Tommy, that’s not what I meant.” 

“Oh. What did you mean then?” She had my head spinning. I was so fucking confused.

“Uhm… I’m not really going to tell you if you haven’t figured it out yet. But please don’t put our future at risk Tommy.” 

“I won’t Mia! You’re my mate, and we’re going to form the new pack at the next full moon. We've been planning this practically since we were born. We have plans baby, dreams. I’m not about to throw them all away. I wasn’t thinking…It’s just a stupid need and it's not like I’ve never felt like that before.”

“Uhm… Okay… with who?” 

I was totally taken aback by her question, so I went for humor. 

“Aww, baby, you don’t really want to know about my sex life do you?” 

Judging by the look on her face, I missed by a mile. 

“Maybe I should. I kinda thought we were saving it, I know I am,” she said. 

_ Oh shit! FUCK.  _ This was, I don’t even know, but bad… or ‘fucked up’ came to mind. I tried to wrap my head around what exactly that meant.

“You mean you haven’t? Mia are you fucking kidding me?”

“No, mom would have killed me. That’s meant for you.” 

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen her this sincere. Wonder, awe, and utter terror all seemed to swirl around me and I hope I actually managed to disguise my scent before giving it all away. I really didn’t want to hurt her.

“For me?... is that what you want? Me?”

“Yeah… I mean why not? I’ve never let myself think about any other but you, no point in it.”

“You’ve thought about it?” This time I know I didn’t manage to keep the disbelief out of my voice, because she used the same tone on me,

“You haven’t?”

I kissed her forehead to take the edge of the words. “Not really, I love you. I can’t think of one single person I love more than you, but I’ve never thought of that.”

“You never thought of that?” she whispered and I shook my head. “Do you not think I’m pretty enough?”

“Oh no!Mia, you’re beautiful! Don’t ever doubt that!”

“So is it the girl thing?” 

“No, not at all… I’ve just…it’s… you’re like a sister.” 

She nodded and chuckled a little and with a wicked smirk she asked me, “Uhm where the hell did you imagine the next generation would come from? Brought here by the Stork?” 

I must have looked incredibly stupid. I certainly felt like it.“I’ve never thought of that either.” 

She looked at me with shock in her eyes.I realize now that I've been so naïve in the way I'd been thinking about our pact, that all we needed was our friendship and our own pack to make the world a better place. I needed to know for sure how she felt, so I asked.

“I thought you felt the same. I thought our plans and dreams were created around our friendship. Was I wrong?” The fondness playing in her eyes and on her lips almost killed me, so I hid my face in the crook of her neck and she combed her fingers through my hair.

“No it’s just… well you’re my world Tommy, everything I do is linked to you, you’re my best friend, you’re supposed to be my mate,” she pushed my head back and looked at me pointedly and emphasized her next words.“In. Every. Way. And I thought, at least until today, that you would always belong to me.”

“Are you jealous?” It was supposed to piss her off because her last sentence kinda pissed me off.I wasn’t running from my promise.I got the reaction I wanted.

“Of course I’m jealous, I could lose you because of him. How am I supposed to compete against a fucking _male?_ ” 

And wow, I so didn’t see that one coming.I ached all over, feeling the loss of something that was never mine to begin with, all over again. I pushed myself off the bed, her proximity suffocating me. With a hard stare, I demanded to know why we were back on that subject, 

“Him? Why are we back to him? I didn’t fuck him. I’m never going to see him again and I’ve never been with a man. Secondly, I’m not backing out. I’m just fucking confused. About everything! And your mate/sex talk sure as hell isn’t helping!” 

She got off the bed too, crossed the floor and cradled my face and with an impossibly patient tone in her voice she said, “Promise me you won’t leave for him. And I’m not asking for me but for the rest of the wolves.”

Pure and utter pain spiked through me as my wolf struggled with the meaning of her words; it wanted nothing more than to be back to the glade in the forest to linger in what could have been. I wouldn’t let it, not right now. But my wolf wanted out of there, it wanted to be alone, to lick its wounds and mourn what would never be.It paced angrily inside me, desperately wanting me to shift so it could run.I wouldn’t let it though, couldn't let it, not right now.

“Why would I leave? I’m never going to see him again!”

“Promise!” she whispered and rubbed our noses together. 

I tried to say it, but the words wouldn't come.I tried to use another approach.“Of course I’m not-“

“No Tommy, _promise, say, I promise!_ ” She held my gaze willing me to say it. 

I wanted to, I really did.“I…” Nothing, nothing at all. I saw the emotions run over her face, regret, sadness and pity?

“You can’t! Can you? You can’t actually say it?! You literally can’t make the words form on your lips.” She shook her head and the look of defeat made me desperate, desperate to make her happy, to make things right between us again.

“I…” 

She sighed heavily and bumped her forehead against mine and then slowly rubbed our cheeks together, the show of affection so much more canine than human. _And you don’t even realize what this means?_ She asked softly in my mind.

That’s where it all fell into place. He was my fucking mate! MATE! My destined soulmate, the one created just for me. “Oh.” 

She let out a shaky breath, “Yeah oh! So what are you going to do?” 

My mind went completely blank, for several minutes I just stood there with absolutely no coherent thought left in my dumbass head. How the fuck was I supposed to know how to deal? There were promises made when we were born, there were other wolves to consider, this wasn’t just about me. It was about the pack too, the pack I was meant to lead in two weeks’ time.

“Nothing! Uhm… what was planned all along. I’m not bailing out on you, on them!”

“But yet you still can’t promise me. Excuse me for not really trusting it until it actually happens at the next full moon.” 

I felt like she’d punched me in the stomach, taking away every breath from me. Did she really think that little of me? 

With one last long look at me she turned to leave the room. I wasn’t about to let her, I needed her to say that she trusted me.“Mia.” She didn’t even turn to look at me but sped up her pace practically running down the hallway; I jolted and chased her shouting “Mia. Don’t you fucking run out on me like that.”

My mother’s voice stopped me before I got to Mia, “Thomas Joseph I need a word.” 

Her voice was stern, but I did my best to ignore it, “Not now mom.” I needed to get to Mia before she turned into her wolf and ran into the woods.

“Thomas!” The demand was right there, the alpha tone soaking through my name and I had no fucking choice but to stay. I glared at my mother but she snorted at the defiance she saw in my eyes.

“Two more weeks honey before that look gets you anywhere, now spill it! Why did you sneak in through the backdoor and go straight to the shower and _why_ did whatever mistake you made make Mia run out the door like that?”

A million thoughts went whirling about in my head and I desperately wanted to grab just one of them and throw it at my mom, but nothing!

“You’re stalling! And I can smell a bad excuse half a mile away sweetheart, just fess up so we can work on making it right again.” 

Damn her, for using the alpha tone again, my mother played dirty pool like no one else!

Defeated I told her everything, ending the confession with, “I’m not sure you can do anything about this mom, this is my mess and I gotta clean it up.” She pulled me into one of those hugs only your mother can provide, making everything feel a little better.

“Yeah, I can see that, but I can make sure Darren doesn’t figure anything out. That is if you can stay away from the boy.” I gave her a grateful smile.

“I can,” I took a deep breath and made a promise to myself. “I will.”

She smiled a little hesitantly “You will try. Let’s leave it with that for now. And now you better make Mia feel special.” 

I hauled off my t-shirt and lost the pants going out the front door and shouted back to my mother just before I turned, “I’m on it.” 

And then I let the wolf take over in the search of Mia.


	2. 2

Three fucking long days went by and I was restless. It felt like being on the edge, fidgeting and moving around all the time, my insomnia was having the time of its life and I _needed_ to be back out in the woods, but the worried glances I kept getting from my mother, and Mia especially, made me force the wolf's need to run to the back of my mind. But my wolf was fighting me, he wanted to go back to the glade and revel in the scent of him before it disappeared for good. And if that wasn’t enough, my head was swarming with images of him. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t let him go.

Mike, my childhood friend and most beloved pack member, knew something was wrong and on the third day, early in the morning, he cornered me in the kitchen.

“Why aren’t you out there, it’s getting colder and the air smells like snow is close, you fucking live on that Ratliff. And it’s pretty obvious that it's where you want to be, so why are you driving all of us insane in _here?_ ” 

I just glared at him. I love the dude like a brother but every once in a while a guy’s got his reasons and doesn’t need anyone poking around in them. Hence me being quiet.

The thing about Mike is that he is like a wolf with a bone, and he wasn’t about to let me off the hook. Instead I got the firm, fucking determined out of his mind stare. 

“Fine! You don’t want to share I get that. But know this! You leave me very few options here. We’re going out tonight.”

“Out?” I chirped. Mike rolled his eyes and went to get two mugs in the cupboard and then filled them with hot, aromatic coffee. He handed me one of the mugs, fucking lifesaver.

“Yeah, not wolf out because you’re fucking weird about that these days. We’re going barhopping, having a boys’ night out, you need to unwind. I’m getting you drunk and possibly setting you up with a chick and getting you laid. You’re getting on everybody’s nerves.”

“Bar-crawling?” The dude managed to make me laugh because you can always, and by that I mean _always,_ count on Mike to find a reason to hit the bars. Not that I’m complaining. 

He grinned and waved his mug in front of me, obviously trying to make a gesture I was supposed to decode. I couldn’t though. When I finally raised an eyebrow in a silent question, he continued, “Yep, so doll up tonight. I’ve found a place with live music and cheap booze.”

“Okay. We’re going out tonight.” 

 

A couple of hours later I was sitting on the porch, feet up on the banister, head thrown back and filling my lungs with pure and clean air. A truly pathetic attempt to make it up to the wolf. I had Manson blasting in my ears just to give me a little breathing room. The wolf still wanted to go back and was still pushing to take over. I smelled Mia’s presence and opened my eyes. She sat down next to me and removed my headphones and turned my head towards her with a firm grip on my chin. I got the ‘I’m talking and you’ll listen’ look from her and knew whatever she was up to, I would be disagreeing with her. 

“You need to go out there,” she made a small nod against the woods. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“I’m good. And I’ll get out of your hair tonight. Mike and I are going out.”

She nodded, so obviously Mike had already told her that. “But you’re not good Tommy, and you can’t hide here forever. You’re killing your wolf.” 

Like I didn’t fucking know that already. And I had my motives; I was doing this for her, for the pack. If it were just me, I would be out there rolling around on the dirt, making damn sure his scent was all over me. But it wasn’t about me. She should be giving me a medal not telling me I was handling things wrong.

“I told you I could handle it, this is me handling it!”

“No, baby, this is you suffocating, and if you don’t get out there today, you won't be able to control anything when he takes over and he will. He’s a strong as you and right now he’s struggling to let you have the control. We can all see it. So do you want me with you?”

I groaned loudly, knowing she was right. I had to face my demons and sooner was probably better than later. But I didn’t want her there. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this on my own.

“No, I don’t want you to go with me.”

“Mike then?”

“No, he doesn’t know why, he just knows I’m edgy. I can do this by myself, I’m a big boy.”

I got a small smile and a soft kiss on my forehead.

“Okay. I’ll come looking for you if you’re not back before dusk okay??”

“Sure.”

**

I really thought I could pull it off. That I could control the wolf enough to stay away. But my wolf is as stubborn as I am and I had to admit that we were both craving it equally. It was a lost cause and soon enough I found myself sniffing the ground where he'd been lying, the scent still strong and fresh.A small whimper emerged from my throat and I circled the place a few times, letting the remnants of his scent assault my senses. 

I could totally try to bullshit and say that it was the warm ray of the sun that made me lie down in the exact spot, but I won’t. I did it because I needed the connection; I needed to feel close to him. And I did. For the first time in three days I felt at peace and I fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of a human getting close. I knew right away who it was, I felt his presence in every fiber in my body and I tensed. I knew I should get up and leave before he saw me; I still had the time to do it. But I couldn't, I just didn't have the strength. I sat up and waited, my body quivering with anticipation. And then he was there. Our eyes met across the clearing and we just stared at each other for a while. He didn’t look scared and when I sniffed the air the only scent coming from him was excitement. I was in so much trouble. When he finally spoke his voice washed over me and everything was right in the world again. That’s a terrifying feeling, knowing that you belong to someone that doesn’t have the faintest idea of what they do to you.

“Hey there.” He stepped closer; keeping his eyes on me the whole time, like he didn’t want to miss a thing, memorizing my every feature.

“You’re so beautiful. I wonder if you know just how gorgeous you are.”

God, he was killing me! He came closer, standing only a few feet away now. I kept calm but gave him a small warning not to get any closer. Just a low rumble and a flash of my canines. He laughed softly, and kept moving towards me.

“I’m not scared, why would I be? You saved my life.” 

_ Touché _ .

“I’ve been thinking about you!” 

He was standing right in front of me now, our gazes locked. He did a little silly shrug with his shoulders. 

“Yeah, practically every hour since you saved me. I’ve come out here every day for the last three days, hoping you’d show up. It's weird though, I’ve never felt this strongly about another being before.” 

_ Fuck!! _ Maybe he really did know what he did to me, or at least he felt it too. He just didn’t know what it was. This was bad news, it meant that even if this never went further, if we never saw each other again he would feel just as empty as me and yearn for something he would never understand. How the fuck was I supposed to live with that knowledge? I may very well have saved his life but when I did that I also took something valuable from him, the chance to find true happiness with another human being, he would have to settle now. This knowledge sucked and I wished I could make things better for him.

He knelt down so we were at the same level. Wonder and curiosity made his blue eyes sparkle. 

“Do you understand me when you’re a wolf?”

I tore my eyes from his gaze and demonstratively looked the other way. 

He chuckled softly, “I think that maybe you do. You just don’t want me to think so. I’m Adam by the way.” 

I returned to look at him. Tasting the name in my mind. _Adam_. It suited him. He reached out a hand to touch me but stopped right before he actually did.

“Can I touch you? I really want to. I’m dying to know if your fur is as soft as I imagine it is.” There was a plea in his voice and without even so much as a thought I pushed my head into his palm. He ran his fingers through my fur scratching me lightly like he would a dog.But I’m guessing a dog wouldn’t feel the fireworks go off inside like I was. I nearly died from the pleasure of it. _How was I supposed to fight this?_

“Oh man it is.” He whispered, sounding a little wrecked.

I inched a bit closer and sniffed the air around him.It felt like I was cheating, I had every advantage here, but I didn’t care. His scent was pretty much like an open book to his emotions and I wanted to know everything. He reeked of happiness and a bit of nervous excitement flowed underneath but no angst. I dared to move a tiny step closer. This was pretty much what heaven must feel like, if there is one..

“Can we stay like this for a while?” he buried the other hand deep in my fur and caressed my ear gently. A low whiny sound escaped me and I heard the contentment in his voice when he asked me, “You feel it too don’t you? Like in some weird way we belong to each other?” 

I wanted to change into my human form, I wanted to tell him that I felt it all, maybe even stronger because of the wolf, I wanted him to hold me in his arms, to roll around in the soft grass and rub against him, I wanted everything. But instead I licked his jaw and sniffed his ear making him giggle because it obviously tickled, “I wonder if it's because you gave me some of your blood, that’s gotta be powerful right?” 

I put my head on his shoulder and he hugged me, pulling me in just a little tighter.

“I wished you would change for me so we could talk, I mean really talk not just me babbling on.” 

I backed away and searched his eyes for a minute; I don’t know what he saw in mine because he smirked wickedly.

“Hmm, I guess the whole naked thing would make it a little strange though. Even though you’re just as beautiful as a human too.” 

Blushing hard I very much appreciated my wolf form right then. This was embarrassing but also a bit silly. I rolled my eyes. Not really thinking that it would show exactly how much I understood. My mistake.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me? You so understand everything! So I guess I should filter myself then. It would only be fair since you’re not really pouring your soul out to me here.” 

I sighed, I had closed that door myself and I was going to have to rely on my wolf skills to know his emotions now. A dove made a noise near us and it drew my attention back to the real world. I had been out here for hours! If I wanted to return home before Mia sent out a search party, or rather get home and shower before she and my mom figured out what I was up to, then I need to leave. I looked into the woods and sighed heavily. Adam picked up on it immediately, observant fucker. 

“What? What is it? You need to leave?”

I nodded. 

“You need to leave. Okay.” 

I turned away from him and began the long walk towards the woods. It was possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I was leaving a piece of my soul with him.

“Wait. Can I see you again? I could be back here tomorrow.” He was begging me, his scent had changed and my nostrils filled with sadness and loss, he smelled just like me. I didn’t look back. I didn’t want to give him hope that I couldn’t satisfy.

“Wolf!... Okay I get it….. I’ll be here though, hoping you’ll show.” He called out to me. 

I stopped in the shadows of the trees and shot a glance over my shoulder and with one long sigh I began my way back home. A night out with Mike was surely needed.


	3. 3

I succeeded in sneaking in without anyone noticing. I showered and put on my make up going for sexy as hell, before I put on my favorite Metallica t-shirt and my best jeans. Mike knocked on the door asking me if I was ready right before barging in like always. He looked me over and laughed, “Whoa. Sexy! I guess you’re ready for some fun times?!”

“Yeah, let’s go.” I pulled my boots on and grabbed my leather jacket and a scarf. Mike shot me a searching glance.

“You seem less itchy. Care to share what bug crawled up your ass now?” See? Wolf with a fucking bone! Well, two could play that game, I wasn’t about to tell him anything.

“Nope.” 

He chuckled and shook his head.“Okay, just know that I’m here, whenever alright?” 

"I know. The thing is, it's nothing you can help with, no point in putting it on your shoulders too.”

He looked a little surprised and a bit offended too. “You can trust me Tommy.”

“I do, I just don’t want you caught in the crossfire if it comes to that.” 

He got this expression on his face, the one where he's torn between wanting to solve the mystery and forget about it all at the same time.We got in his car and drove into town. Mike was unusually quiet so I guess he chose trying to solve the mystery instead of forgetting about it. We were almost at the bar when he suddenly said, “You’re going all alpha on me here huh? Hmmm. You don’t smell worried though, you smell excited, happy and sad all at once. I don’t like it much to be honest.” 

I hated that Mike saw right through me; he wasn’t supposed to. I was happy that I got to be with Adam this afternoon but I was also devastated, I wanted to be with Adam and I couldn’t. I fucking left him behind knowing that he felt the call of his mate too. It sucked and not in the fun way. I reached out for Mike and squeezed his arm lightly.

“I’ll be okay. Let’s go have fun; you’re buying the first round.” 

Going into the bar my world spun off its axis. I knew right away that he was there; I didn’t hear it so much as I felt it vibrate through my body making me tense and shiver. Then I heard his voice soaring through the room and it only took one look up at the small stage to confirm what I already knew. It still hit me hard though, he was a very different kind of gorgeous up there than out in the woods. He was wearing tight laced leather pants, a black shirt, buttoned down enough to draw attention to his broad chest; he was wearing two maybe three necklaces and several rings on the hand holding the microphone. He had done something different with his hair and like me he was wearing makeup. Strutting across the stage like he owned the god damn thing, he was quite possible the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. He oozed sex and my reaction was immediate. Lust slammed through me and in two seconds flat I was hard. So hard it fucking hurt. 

I was doing my best to hide my emotions but I didn’t succeed because Mike looked at me with a contemplative look and asked, “Tommy Joe, are you okay?” unable to look away from Adam I replied with a small sound that only Mike could pick up. 

“Hmm.” 

Mike turned to follow the direction of my stare. He grinned widely. “He’s awesome right? Voice range like Jeff Buckley. I knew you’d love him.”

“Yeah.” 

I really didn’t appreciate the irony there. Thank god Mike wasn't picking up on all of my inner turmoil, he laughed as he dragged me into the room heading for one of the tables in the back. When we had shrugged our jackets off and sat down – my gaze still locked on Adam the entire time – Mike kicked my ankle under the table, grinning like an idiot. “I knew you’d like him. Now let’s see we can get you laid too.”

I groaned loudly. Images of Adam naked above me, holding me down and taking me apart with slow deliberate thrusts almost _did_ take me apart. I desperately needed to focus on something else, anything! Otherwise I was gonna come in my pants, and I'd never done that before. Didn't want to start now.

“Shut up! I’m capable of that on my own; don’t need you to set me up for a pity fuck.” 

Mike laughed loudly and asked, “More booze then?”

“Yes please, more booze!” 

I was so relieved that the bar was popular and therefore, crowded. It let me watch Adam without him spotting me.Adam sang three more songs and I tried my best not to be too obvious about staring at him all the damn time or at least keep the drooling to a minimum. Mike noticed he had to, but he didn’t comment he just made sure that my glass wasn’t empty, chatted about mindless things and smiling knowingly when I squirmed too much in my chair. My fucking boner was killing me to the point where it wasn’t even funny.

There was a short pause before the next song because Adam needed a gulp of water and to dry off his face. After putting the towel away Adam turned and looked right across the room and spotted me. First his eyes went wide, then a huge but somehow tender smile spread across his face, keeping me trapped in his gaze he said something to the guitarist who laughed and gave Adam a one armed hug. The wolf immediately fought me for control and Mike put a hand on my arm, just to remind me where we were. Everything in me wanted to make sure the guitarist never touched Adam again; I’ve never felt this territorial about anyone before. 

_ You okay Ratliff? _

Damn that meant he was worried, Mike only used telepathy as a last resort. Trying to calm him, I looked away from Adam and caught Mike’s worried glance before responding, _yeah. I’m good._

He snorted loudly and shook his head.

“Liar. Want another drink?”

Adam and band were ready and a new beat started. I never got around to answering Mike's question because Adam looked directly at me when he started to sing the lyrics to the new song. 

_ There he goes  
My baby walks so slow  
Sexual tic-tac-toe  
Yeah, I know we both know  
It isn't time, no  
But would you be m-mine?  
  
_

I’m pretty sure my heart skipped several beats before it started trying to pound its way out of my chest. Mike shot me a quick look and then he bumped our shoulders together. “Somebody could get very lucky tonight. Go tiger.” 

I blushed violently and told him to fuck off. Adam kept flirting from the stage, hard core flirting I might add.  
  


_ We'll never get too far  
Just you, me, and the bar  
Kind of ménage à trois, sometimes  
Could you be m-mine?  
Would you be m-mine?  
Would you be m-mine? _

_  
Oh baby, light's on  
But your mom's not home  
I'm sick of laying down alone, hey  
With this fever, fever, yeah  
My one and own  
I wanna get you alone  
Give you fever, fever, yeah  
  
There it goes  
You're stole my soul and so  
'Cause, sweetheart  
No-no-nobody a-kno-kno-knows me  
Or can find me, ooh  
Time to be m-mine, mine  
  
Let's get inside your car  
Just you, me and the stars  
Kind of ménage à trois, sometimes   
Would you be m-mine?  
Would you be m-mine?  
Would you be m-mine?  
  
_

Halfway through the song, I had to leave. My soul hurt and I was damn close to coming in my in my pants again. Without even giving Mike a second glance, I got off the chair and headed straight for the toilet _, I need to….take a piss._ Mike’s laughter followed me across the room and his mocking words stung a little, _yeah, keep telling yourself that._

God, I was way too obvious! I flipped him the finger right before yanking the door open. I went in the first available stall and palmed my cock through my jeans.I locked the door and seconds later I had my cock in my hand.Closing my eyes and visualizing Adam singing those lyrics to me had me coming three strokes later so hard my knees buckled and I had to lean on the door to keep me upright.

I was totally hiding out in the bathroom, unable to decide if I was deliriously happy that he saw me and wanting to go to him, or if I should be kicking myself because I was weak and hadn't given one thought to my pack's future.

When I pulled myself together enough to risk facing Mike I left the bathroom, my head still in the clouds dreaming of what could be and ran straight into a tall guy blocking my way. “Hmpf, sorry dude I didn’t mean-” 

I almost swallowed my tongue because the dude was Adam and I had my fucking palms on his chest.A broad happy smile appeared when he recognized me, he immediately put his hands on top of mine and held them there, thumbs running across the backs of my hands in a caress I’m sure he wasn’t even aware of.

“You? Wolf! I was looking all over for you.” 

I could feel his heartbeat and the sensation stole my words.

"Yeah me….”

“What’s your name? Tell me your name.”He squeezed my hands a bit. I shook my head, “Bad idea Adam.”

I heard Mike’s voice calling out to me and then he jumped me from behind hugging me tightly halfway barking into my ear, “Tommy Joe Ratliff where the hell did you go?”

I groaned. And wished he would go to hell. Adam smirked and said my name, like he enjoyed the way it rolled of his tongue.“Tommy Joe?” 

I nodded, so now he knew. 

Mike was oblivious to what was going on and kept talking in my ear, “Dude where did you disappear to? Mia and the rest of the gang joined us, you’re missed dude.” He looked at Adam and stepped back and filthy grin played on his face. “Oh I see. You were about to get lucky, I’ll leave you to it then.”

I could only focus on one of the words he said. “Mia?” I asked quietly, trying to pull my hands out of Adam's grasp, but he held tight, not letting go. 

“Hey there, love.” Mia kept her voice low and soft, if I hadn't known her my entire life, I would never had recognized the pain hiding there. She snuggled in under my armpit and kissed my jaw nuzzling her nose along the line of it. Greeting me wolf like was playing dirty, but I didn’t blame her. She'd made her point, wanting me to focus on the pack. And it worked. I pulled my hands out from under Adam’s and he let go of them reluctantly, eyeing us suspiciously. 

“H…hi.” Damn it I was stuttering and I hadn’t _done_ anything. Adam looked like something clicked when he was watching Mia and he asked in wonder, “Oh my god, you’re the brown one aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry?” 

 

I almost wanted to laugh; she was so taken aback with that question that her jaw dropped. She looked adorable. Adam went on and if I hadn't, or rather all three of us, been able to smell his jealous when he looked at Mia cuddled against my side, none of us would have guessed it.

“Thank you! For your help, for your courage. I owe you my life.”

Mia tensed and she didn’t bother with disguising her scent so her confusion over Adam’s reaction and her feelings of betrayal over me were easy to recognize. She didn’t look at Adam when she answered; instead she played the jealous girlfriend and stared at me. “Naw, that would be Tommy’s doing. I saved his ass not yours.” 

Her attitude was rude, and quite frankly I got more than irritated, Adam had done nothing wrong.

“Mia!” I hissed in a low reprimanding tone. 

Her gaze softened a little and she took a step back grabbing one of my hands and tugging it a little, wanting me to follow her.“That’s me! I need you on the dancefloor.”

Mike stood two steps away looking back and forth between all three of us and I could actually see how he struggled to get the pieces of the puzzle fit together, he eyed me suspiciously and asked, “What’s going on? What are you all talking about? What the hell did I miss?”

We all ignored him, too much going on between us to bother dragging another person into it. Mia tugged my arm again, stronger this time and Adam reached out a hand for me, brushing it along my sleeve down to my wrist, apleading look in his eyes.I shivered all over at the contact.

“Please let me buy you guys a drink, let me show my appreciation.”

She shook her head but the hardness was gone from her voice when she said, “Not needed dude.” She looked at me as if she wanted to make sure I had heard the peace offering.” Tommy?! Baby? Are you coming?” one more tug at my hand, more insistent, desperate almost, which was probably even worse. Pissed off I can handle anytime, but sad or guilty Mia, yeah not so much. I needed to talk to Adam, to somehow explain, I could see the pain and confusion on his face and didn’t want to leave him like that.

“Yeah. In a minute. Give me a fucking minute Mia?” I knew it was a lot to ask and it must have shone through because Adam removed his hand and shoved it deep into his pocket.

“No I don’t want to cause you any problems with your girlfriend. I’ll be in the forest tomorrow, like I told you.We can talk there if you want to.” Oh shit that was too much information. Mia zoomed in on it immediately and her anger made the air surrounding us heavy and thick. She took a step towards Adam, getting right up in his business.

“Mate. I’m his mate. That is if you two don’t fuck things up. And screw the rest of us all over.” 

She turned and glared at me. “And you! Did you see him in the forest today? Damn it Tommy, you told me you could handle it. That is not handling it. You want out? Then fucking tell me and we’ll deal somehow but don’t you dare lie to me. We’re too important to each other for that.”

“What?......Mate?” Adam whispered and then he swallowed loudly. I could only imagine the hurt he must be feeling right now and how confused he must be.But I couldn't focus on that, I was too busy doing damage control to actually notice how his scent changed. 

I took Mia by her shoulders and held her in a firm grip. 

“Mia! Not here! And who the fuck insisted on me going out there??Now go. I’ll be there in a minute.” I turned to look at Mike, “Mike please? Get her out of here? I’ll explain later I promise.” 

Mike shrugged, then nodded and wrapped an arm around Mia’s shoulder.

“Naw, I think I understand now, congrats dude.” 

I was so utterly surprised, not that he figured out but that he just sounded so sincere when he congratulated me. Mia looked surprised too, her eyebrows went up dramatically and Mike snorted, “Whatever Mia, he deserves this, if anyone does it’s him. We’ll survive, that’s what we do. And if you’ll no longer be tied to him, then maybe you could, I don’t know…see someone else?” 

That probably should have set me off, made me jealous as hell. Instead warm happy feelings spread through my body. They could be cute together. Not that it would happen, but it was a nice thought.


	4. 4

Adam and I stood there for a moment just looking at each other after Mike dragged Mia away. Almost scared to ruin it I suppose. Adam was biting his lip, and then slowly so very slowly, he brushed his knuckles along my jawline and we both let out a small strangled sound. Adam chuckled a little and let his hand fall down.

“Um, did I get you in trouble?”

“Yeah, no….maybe, but it’s not your fault. None of it is. I’ll handle it later. We need to find a quiet place, I have to tell you something and I need you to listen.”

“Okay, I know where to go.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a door across the room. I could feel Mia’s eyes on me the whole time, _Tommy please! Please think this through!_

I waved her off and blocked her out. She deserved it after the scene she just caused and for having so little faith in me, at least that's how I felt. Adam opened the door and as soon as we were in the small office-like room he closed it behind us. He didn’t let go of my hand and to be honest I didn’t want him to. 

I looked around the room trying to stall for a few seconds. I had no idea where to begin and I hated to have to end this before it really began.

I could feel his eyes on me, hear his heart pound rapidly in his chest and the air was filled with pheromones. He wanted me, craved me in the exact same way I did him, which just made everything so much more difficult.

“Tommy?”

“Yeah, give me a second to gather my thoughts. I kinda planned to get out of here before you spotted me.”

“Why? Is it because I know about the wolf? I won’t tell, I swear. You secret is safe with me.” 

He must have read my wary expression because he squeezed my hand and pulled me a little closer going on with a reassuring tone, “I would never hurt you.” 

My heart clenched and before I knew what the actual fuck I was doing I brushed a lock of his hair from his forehead. Realizing what I was doing, I let my hand drop “I know, Adam. The thing is - you already do hurt me, and I hurt you too…. Or that’s what I’m about to.”

He blinked owlishly “Oh?”

“Yeah. This,” I waved a hand between us. “This bond between us, this need to be together? To touch? Do you have any idea what that is?” 

He shook his head, blue eyes staring back at me so openly it made my heart ache. It was like he was letting me look right into his heart and soul, leaving himself wide open for me. I would never forget that for as long as I lived. Whispering to me, he just laid it out there, “No, I just feel it, like you belong to me or something. I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to, I don’t even know…. Be one with you?” 

I smiled softly, butterflies going crazy in my stomach, hearing him say it made it so much more real. I know it sounds stupid. But that’s how it felt. Call me a pussy, I couldn’t care less.

“Yeah? It is because I do, belong to you that is. I was created for you and you for me. You’re my mate.”

“Mate?”Surprise and understanding appeared on his face, but then confusion took over.“But didn’t Mia-“

“It’s a wolf thing and it’s actually really rare that it happens between a were and a human. I need you to remember that Adam.”

“Um….okay… But if we’re meant for each other-why are you going to hurt me then?Oh, because you’re supposed to mate with her?”

Somehow while we were talking we had ended up with my palms on his chest and his arm snaked around my waist. I guess that just how it works, this pull towards each other. The need to touch overrules common sense.

“Yeah. Because you and I can’t happen Adam, and I’m sorry!” I hated to say it, hated the look in his eyes as he tried to understand.

“Because you’ve got a mate in Mia too? But if you’re mine then why? Does this make sense? To have two people created just for you?”

Trying to explain, I continued, “No it’s not like that, you’re the one created for me.Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.Mia and I were promised to each other when we were born. She's my best friend; we grew up together, in separate packs but still in the same habitat. She depends on me.”

“When you were born?" Adam cried out in disbelief."Tommy this isn’t the Middle Ages, I’m pretty sure you can just say you don’t want to, if you don’t.”

I bit my lip, pondering how to make him understand.“Our packs live together, not literally, not even my own pack lives together.We can’t be brought together as one pack if we don't mate. Mia and I, we we’re both born to be alphas, but because Mia is female the alpha in her isn’t as strong. Basically that means she’ll only lead the pack if I die. Like my mother is the alpha of our pack right now, ever since my dad died two years ago. She’ll do that until the next full moon, when I'll come of age and take over the responsibility. By tying myself to Mia our pack will double in size and strength. And we’re planning to make change, bring the pack into the present and change some of the more archaic laws.”

“Oh. But what does that mean?Wouldn’t you two be able to make change with me in there somewhere?Wouldn’t your pack understand?That we’re meant for each other?”

“They would, if we had met under different circumstances.Nobody in my pack would raise an eyebrow at me choosing my destined mate, and actually they’d urge me to do so, if they found out.But it would mean our packs would be unable to merge, the dynamics of the past would have remain.” I don't know why I was fighting so hard to follow rules that I'd already broken but I honestly couldn't do anything else.

“Oh, baby.”

“Secondly, if I introduced you to my pack now, the chances are higher that our highest ruler Darren would find out that I’ve broken our laws, which would mean I could be punished.”

“Punished?”

“Yeah.” 

He ran his palms soothing along my back sending waves of heat through my body.

“Like ‘no music for a month punished’ or ‘punished, punished’ you know with pain involved? And what laws?”

His expression was pure concentration; he truly wanted to understand all this. 

I sighed and continued.“I saved your life without knowing that you were my mate.I broke two fundamental laws, I let you see my transformation and I gave you my blood to survive. And I did it all before introducing you to the pack as a mate, before they acknowledged the mating. So yeah, I would get the hardest punishment.It would really hurt my wolf.”Just the thought of being separated from my pack, my _family,_ was enough to make me forget that Adam, my _mate_ had been in mortal danger when I saved him.That part almost seemed irrelevant now when I faced being shunned.

His breath hitched and I smelled his concern. “Like how?”

“Like being thrown out of the pack and deprived my birthright of becoming alpha to my pack. I'd be cursed to be a loner.As a wolf, well we live in packs for a reason.It would also leave my mother as alpha until Darren found a reason to challenge her for the pack. There's no way she could best him in a fight, even giving her best.She would die fighting and Darren would become even stronger.”

“Oh, God. I don’t want that for any of you.There has to be something we can do.”

I wished so badly I could find a way for that to happen, but I just couldn't.

“I can’t see how Adam. Trust me, I want to. I feel every little bit you feel, probably more so.But we can’t.” I looked over my shoulder glancing at the door, "I should probably go, Mia's probably going out of her skin." 

Adam’s voice was firm when he redirected my attention to him. “I need to know Tommy. Mia? Is she really just a friend?”

“Yes! And she feels the same way.It's just; her entire life has been built around me, around our dreams for the future.She never dared to look beyond that.We love each other dearly, Adam.But it isn’t physical. We’re both affectionate people.I mean we like, kiss and touch all the time but we never _kiss_ and we never _touch_ like lovers.I’ve never felt about her the way I feel for you, um, not like I’ve ever kissed you but-“

“Yeah, that needs to change.”

Before I even registered what he said, he had me pinned against the door.My wrists were held in one of his hand and pulled above my head, while he roughly shoved a thigh in between my legs.Soft but determined lips pressed forcefully against mine, claiming them.I gasped and he pushed his tongue in. One of us, maybe even both of us moaned loudly.My senses short-circuited. The air around us was thick, hard to breathe, loaded with smells of want and a need as essential as the air I desperately needed in my lungs. 

Devouring me, that was what he did, it took me a second or two to get my head in the game and start kissing back, taking as much as I was giving away. We were kissing like there was no fucking tomorrow.No kiss had ever been rougher, more desperate or fucking perfect than that one.And the hot arousal that had been simmering during our talk went boiling through our veins, spinning out of control with no sign of stopping.

Adam pressed his thigh against my erection offering me something to rub against and I desperately started thrusting against him, groaning loudly when I felt him doing the same thing. He had a nice rhythm going, rutting into the groove of my hip and the kisses got even messier, not really kissing as much as sharing the same moist, hot air between us.

Panting into my ear and flicking his tongue at the shell of it he asked, “Can you get off like this? Can I do that for you?”Then he bit down on the tendon in my neck and with a whimper, I was fucking gone. The orgasm had already been boiling low in my spine and that just sent me off. Adam followed seconds after and I realized there was nothing else in the world as beautiful as Adam being blissed out by an orgasm.Nothing in the world would ever compete.He released my hands and slumped into my arms. I wrapped them around him and my hands kinda went up into his hair all on their own. 

“Shit Tommy. That was so fucking intense, I feel like I’m burning up.”

“Yeah, me too.”

He looked at me. I licked my lips; they were still tingling from his kisses. And judging by the look of Adam’s abused lips, mine probably looked bruised too. His eyes followed my tongue and with a small hurt sound he leaned down to kiss me. I met him half way, this time the kiss was sweet and searching, long wet licks and soft nibbles at lips, the kiss wasn’t going anywhere, it was kissing for the sake of kissing. And boy did I love kissing. But kissing Adam took the experience to a whole new level.

Whispering against my lips, he begged, “Don’t leave me, please don’t tell me we can’t have this.”

My heart felt like it was being torn in two, ripped out of my chest and trampled on. I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the pack instead of me. “Adam please, it isn't just us.”

Sad blue eyes met mine and ever so softly his hands cradled my face. “I understand that, but there has to be a way we can be together.”

I bit my lip and for a second I was ready to throw it all away, then a stupid thought occurred to me. It might have been the dumbest thing ever, but nevertheless I blurted out, “I’ll be yours for the next ten days.”

Pure relief and hope filled my senses and a cautious smile made his lips curl. "Then I’ll take that, maybe then-“

_ Oh no Adam, please don't do that to us. _

“Ten days Adam, take it or leave it. I’ve got fifty wolves counting on me.”

His scent didn’t change, but I got a small nod and a hesitant, “Okay.”

I figured that was as much as I would get from him at the moment, so I settled. 

“We need to talk to Mia.”

“Yeah, will she understand?” 

 

I honestly didn’t know, but I knew I couldn’t go out there facing her with the other wolves there. Smelling like sex and still a bit boneless. There was no way I’d do that to her.

“We’ll see, won’t we? Just know that whatever happens, it isn’t about you. It is about the pack.”

I got a small careful smile and he took my hand, getting ready to leave the room. I held him back.

“Not out there Adam, we don’t need to hurt her like that. I’ll ask her to come to us.”

I opened my mind to Mia and sensed her right away. _Sweetie? Could you come in here?_ I got an immediate response. _You really want me to?_

I smiled a little at that, her anger was gone from her voice and she sounded like she didn’t want to intrude. She made me so confused. _Yeah we need to talk._

Adam looked at me funnily and it suddenly occurred to me, “Telepathy. That’s the wolf way.” 

His eyes went wide and a huge grin spread across his beautiful face. There was a quiet knock on the door and then Mia walked into the room, closing the door behind her. One sniff would tell her what we’d been up to if looking at us didn’t. So I waited for her anger to return, or at least resentment. Instead she walked right over to me and wrapped me in a huge hug. I sniffed her neck carefully and pulled back to look at her. The only scents I could pick up on were toned down surrender and patience.

“You don’t smell angry? Why are you not angry?”

“Oh Tommy, I’m not. I’ll tell you later. You smell like sex and love, though.” An utterly evil smirk played on her lips and a wicked spark in her eyes teased me.

A snort made us look at Adam; he had his hand over his lips as if he was trying to keep himself from blurting out something embarrassing.Mia understood the reason right away. She turned away from me and opened her arms to Adam. He stepped into her arms and hugged her back fiercely. She ran her nose along his jawline.

“And you smell just like him.” She nodded towards me and laughed a soft little laughter. “So tell me guys, what’s the reality I have to get used to?”

She totally threw me off guard; I had expected anger and disappointment. I had expected to fight for my ten days with Adam and yet here she was with patience and calm surrender reeking off her.What the hell had happened? 

“So tell me Tommy, what’s the deal?” Mia asked tenderly.

I swallowed and looked away for a second. I hate hurting anyone; never want to make others feel less important than me because they’re not. Telling Mia that Adam and I were going to make the most of our limited time together, was going to be very difficult. I felt like I was letting her down, even though she seemed a hell of a lot more accepting now than she did an hour ago.

“I… um Adam and I are going to…um…we want to have the time before…”

I closed my eyes and sighed before going on, this was perhaps the hardest thing I ever had to say. “The next ten days we’ll be together and then you and I can go through with the ceremony.”

I exhaled and opened my eyes. Mia still looked calm and kind of surprised. I was so confused by her that I missed the door opening until a quiet noise got my attention. I looked up to see Mike leaning against the doorframe with his legs crossed and a casual but curious expression on his face. Mia turned around and glanced quickly at Mike.

I kept staring at Mike, so unsure about what to reveal in front of him. I fucking loved the dude and here I was thinking about censoring myself. Clearly he saw right through me.

“Don’t," he smiled, shaking his head. "Mia already told me what I didn’t figure out on my own.”

I got that open, amused look from him that always made me feel safe, but as much as I was a relieved that Mia had told him I was also pissed off about it too.Wasn't it funny how ambivalent huge emotions could be? I shot Mia my best death glare but she just smiled and took the two small steps toward me closing the space between us and said, “He'd already figured out the whole mate thing and-“

“And you just felt like you had to share the rest? Damn it, I've got enough to worry about without you making things even harder.”

Even Adam heard the betrayal in my voice despite my effort to tone it down because he wrapped his arms around his waist and I immediately leaned back into his embrace. He whispered to me, soothing me with soft strokes of warm palms. I don’t know how he did it but my wolf calmed a little almost immediately. 

“No baby. I just thought we all needed a friend’s advice. And don’t you dare Tommy! Mike is your friend and you know he's always got your back." 

I could tell she was about to lose patience with me, but I didn’t care.

“Don’t you think I know that? I don’t want him to get caught in the middle of this.” I looked at Mike silently apologizing and shrugged, “I’m sorry Mike but the less you knew the better it was.”

Mike snorted loudly and came all the way into the room closing the door behind him. Leaning back against the door and with that angel face only he can pull off, he had to chime in with his two cents. “Tommy Joe, I love you.” 

I felt Adam tense at those words and Mike must have smelled the jealousy instantly because he put two hands in the air in supplication. "Not like that dude!” 

Adam relaxed and then Mike focused on me again. “But sometimes you get an idea into your head and ignore the obvious solutions right under your nose. You’re too stubborn for your own good.”

Adam made a little giggling noise under his breath which under no circumstances should sound sweet or manly but he totally pulled it off anyway. I stared up at him and he smiled back before asking Mike, “What solutions and to which one of his problems?”

Mike laughed at Adam’s boldness. “Well first of all there's this whole mate thing…..” he caught my eyes again and this time he spoke to me instead of Adam. “You need to introduce him to the rest of our pack and maybe you should do it when Mia’s pack is around as well.”

I blinked and for a second I wasn’t able to answer, I was convinced I must have heard him wrong. Then Adam whispered a soft “Baby?” in my ear and I knew I hadn’t. “No, I can’t…. can’t you smell it? My blood runs in his veins. I broke our laws.”

Mike, the obnoxious fucker, kept his calm as if he was speaking to a three year old. “But as Mia tells it you had no choice in this matter. Wasn’t he dying? And you'd never met him before this incident right?!”

“But I’m not supposed to care am I? Adam’s hu-” 

“So you’re saying that because he didn’t meet me before I was wounded, then there is a hole in the law or something?”Adam cut me off earning an annoyed glare from me, which he didn’t notice at all.

Mike shook his head, “No, I’m saying there **might** be an exceptional case here and if he got our pack behind him then he **might** not be punished and you’d be accepted by the wolf community.”

Adam nodded like that made all the sense in the world to him and Mike continued. “And I’m saying that your wolf recognized your mate before you did Tommy. Mia told me you didn’t know why you put yourself in danger; you just instantly knew you had to. The wolf didn’t offer you an option. He knew it Tommy - before you did. Maybe because Adam’s male, maybe because your wolf is alpha born and stronger, I don’t know.”

I had to admit, it had never occurred to me that my wolf might have known something I didn't. The idea rolled around inside my head a bit before I noticed Adam searching my face. I belatedly realized it was due to the whole 'male' and I didn't offer him much in the way of an explanation other than a look reassuring him we would talk later.

I was still not quite sure about what Mike was saying.“If - if being the operative word here. If they don’t then I’ll be without a pack and you guys will soon get a new alpha, most likely Darren.”I paused to emphasize my next words, “who, by the way, does not under any circumstances believe in democracy!”

Mike winched visibly but kept pressing his point. “Tommy, you know these wolves, we all adore you, and we all know your heart. Do you seriously doubt we’ll back you up?”

“No, but it still doesn’t change the fact that Mia and I are supposed-“

“Supposed being the keyword here. You’re not forced. I don’t have all the answers Tommy. I do, however, know that if you and Mia go through with your plans, you’ll both, no, make that all three of you, be miserable the rest of your lives. He is your mate, Tommy and there's a reason we mate for life. And the wolves are not miserable Tommy, we want change and you and Mia could have made that happen, but we’ll go on living the way we always have. Darren won’t make any changes in that; he's too old school to change **anything** _._ ”

I could practically feel Adam sucking up all the information like a dry sponge in water.I looked at Mia, who had been surprisingly quiet.

“Are you willing to let it all go?” I asked. 

Adam stopped breathing and his hands on my belly went still, waiting for her answer. I covered them with mine and he put his thumbs above mine. It was such a small gesture, but the meaning was epic. No matter what, we were in this together.

“No, but I’m not keen on being unhappy all my life either. And I’m scared we’ll end up hurting and hating each other endlessly. You mean too much to me for me to ever want that to happen.”

Adam squeezed my hands a little and let out a relieved sigh. I glanced up at him.

“So what are you saying?” I asked her.

“That you should bring him home.That we should talk to our families. That we should do whatever it takes to keep you safe and with your pack. Mike is right you know?I just hadn’t seen it from that perspective.”

I just stood there, looking at her. Trying to wrap my head around what she was saying. I must have been too thoughtful for too long because Adam’s voice pulled me out of my headspace.

“Tommy?Don’t you want to at least try? To be with me?”

His words almost took me apart. Not want to be with him? Of course I did, but I was too scared to believe it, to have that kind of faith in my future.But I was terrified of facing life without him as well. Everything I knew was being turned upside down. At that moment I learned an important thing about myself. I liked feeling secure and safe, thrived on it one could say. Deep down, I already knew this. I was a tactile person, living on hugs and cuddles. But I hadn’t realized it like this before. “Adam.I want nothing more but-”

With a stern tone, that left no option for debate, he said, “I’m going home with you. I’ll meet your mother and we’ll explain. That’s how this is going to go.”

“But what if-”

“Then we’ll deal. You’re mine. Whatever happens you’re still mine, always.” 

I turned around in his arms, letting my own go around his neck. I looked up into those cornflower colored eyes and saw nothing but home in them. My heart was so sure where I belonged. I bit down on my lip, hard, before letting out a strangled noise. He kissed my forehead, just a light peck of his lips.

“Stop baby, we’ll find a way. And we’ll find a way to make it all work out, with the pack too. To make whatever it is that’s so important to you and Mia, we’ll make it all happen. I know we will.”

He pulled back and looked at me.

“You put a lot of trust into this. In me and the other wolves. You've only just met me Adam.”

His thumbs that had been caressing my back softly snuck under my t-shirt and found my skin sending a shiver up my spine.

“I know you; my heart recognized you the moment the bear left that clearing. You know this too. I have tons of things to learn about you, but not about your soul or your heart. The other wolves love you, why should I fear those that love you?”

How the hell was I supposed to argue against that? And those hurt puppy eyes? I couldn’t, so I hid in the crook of his neck. 

“Take me home to see your mom.”

“Now?” I asked against his neck. He laughed softly.

“Why not?”

I sighed; I could maybe have found one or two good reasons to wait.But I didn’t so we went home. Adam of course walked right into my mother’s heart and made himself comfortable there. 

And somehow he pointed out what Mike had said in a way that made my mother light up like a fucking Christmas tree and haul books down from the shelves. And Adam, damn his gorgeous soul, just went out in the kitchen like he fucking owned the place and put on coffee. I felt out of place, edgy and itchy and uncomfortable as hell knowing we both smelled like sex and passion and longing while I apparently let my mother and Adam throw away the wolves' hopes of ever living in a pack where everyone was equal and where the leader would listen to every voice in the pack before making any kind of decision. You see that was the reason Mia and I were going to accept the whole mating thing. We would be strong enough together to force laws to change, to make the council step into this millennium.

I was pacing the floor, going from one window to another looking out but not seeing a damn thing. Mom was shoulder to shoulder with Adam, noses buried in books that smelled fragile and neglected. Adam had his elbows on the table and his hands were on his neck, fingers in his hair, reading while playing a little with his hair. I wanted my fingers there instead of his; I wanted to lick that beautiful curve of his neck, to nibble on the shell of his ear, to sink my teeth into the soft skin below his ear, to mark him as mine.

My mother looked up from an ancient book, with an unbelievably embarrassing and knowing smile and told me to take a shower and go to bed, that _she_ would find what she was searching for. Adam’s head jerked up and a heated gaze from him pinned me to the floor.

“Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea.” Adam said, pushing his chair backwards.He stood up and with a predatory look on his face he moved towards me. I probably should have snarled at that, should have resented the dominant vibe coming from Adam, but instead my dick took notice. A lot, because vivid images from earlier that evening filled my head.

I reached out to take Adam’s hand and lead him out of the living room and upstairs to my room. We didn’t say a word, Adam just followed my lead. Once we got inside my room, he cradled my face and kissed me hungrily.

Meeting his hunger with mine the kiss turned sloppy and too wet - all teeth and tongue. Adam gently pushed me toward the bed and I stumbled backwards until I hit the frame of it and then let myself fall backwards on top of the mattress. Seconds later Adam was straddling my hips, his strong lean thighs holding me down on the mattress, his hands pushing my t-shirt up as they ran over my skin. Pleasure jolted through my body, my hips bucked up seeking friction and in my eagerness to touch him I went for his belt buckle. My fingers were trembling, that’s how turned on I was but Adam must have read that differently, because his caresses went softer and some of the heat disappeared. I still saw it burning under that tight restraint of stubbornness that apparently was one of his trademarks.

“So, are we going to talk about me being your first?”

“Nope, too busy.” I opened the buckle and went for the button in his jeans. Adam’s breath hitched when my hand brushed against the rough fabric and I couldn’t hold back an excited little laugh. I was riding high on the knowledge that I made him like this, all hard and aching and all for me. But Adam still wanted to fucking talk though. 

“No, but seriously.Tommy?” 

“Oh I’m serious, like in seriously occupied with trying to get your dick out.”

“Oh my god. Tommy, slow down.”

He took a hold of my hands and I looked up at him. Blue eyes with pupils blown wide from desire met mine. He swallowed and it was pretty obvious that he wasn’t just fighting my need here. I saw concern in his eyes; he honestly wanted to take care of me.

“Baby, is this not freaking you out just a little bit?”

“No.” 

“So you’re just a straight guy gone bendy and all okay with me wanting to fuck you into the mattress?”

And yeah that pretty much summed it up, so I nodded.

“Uh huh.”

“Yeah, I don’t buy it.”

I don’t mind talking, but talking in bed, with the epitome of a hot guy in it, should be reduced to dirty talk, but since we clearly wouldn’t get around to that before doing actual talking I was going to do my very best to get it done as fast as possible.

“Listen Adam. It is very simple to me, I want you, all of you and I’m probably even going to love every weird and silly or even obnoxious side to you too. You belong to me, you’re my mate. That’s all I need to know to make it A-okay with me that you’re a man. I’m not stupid, I get that you’re a toppy fucker, and I get the logistics of gay sex. I know that tab A goes into slot B, okay? That said, who said you get to top every time?”

“Um.” 

I giggled a little because score for me, I made him speechless. “Are we done talking now? Can we please get back to me getting your dick in my hand, _please?_ ”

Adam smirked and leaned down to kiss me and oh my god he kissed me until I was dizzy with it. Tugging at his shirt because really? No fucking patience! I needed him naked like yesterday. I hissed, “Off.”

He laughed in delight and hauled it over his head and threw it on the floor. I ran my fingers across his chest, learning and appreciating the feeling of his soft chest hair. So beautiful, with freckles everywhere, strong and broad and fuck, _mine._

I surged up to kiss him again, learning how to coax the most addictive sounds from him as my mouth and fingers explored his body. 

A whimper of my own pressed its way out when he finally got his hand on my cock. He pushed at my pants and I did my best to wiggle out of them, not exactly easy with him straddling my hips. Somehow we managed to get them down so Adam could get to business. I forgot how to breathe when he traced a finger from base to tip and I reached for the headboard, needing something to hold onto as I bucked up under him.

“So beautiful. I need to see all of you.” 

He pushed my t-shirt up and I helped him the rest of the way. He ran his hands over my chest, teasing a nipple before leaning down to kiss me again holding himself up with an arm on each side of my head. Worshipped, I felt fucking worshipped. But I was desperate to see him too, so I was working his fly and _finally_ he got with the program and got rid of his pants. 

“Get back here, I need my hands on that.” I demanded and got a raised eyebrow in return. He moved his body over mine in a maddeningly slow pace, all skin against skin and I was about to lose it, so hard it hurt.

Our hipbones bumped against each other, but it didn’t matter because there was his dick lined right up next to mine. Hot, thick, heavy, and throbbing with the same need as mine. And that was without a doubt the hottest thing ever. Adam caught my lips and bit down before downright tongue fucking me to the rhythm of his hips. 

I managed to get a hand between us and wrap it around us, both of us leaking, the precome making the strokes slippery and delicious. The feeling of Adam hard and silky soft rubbing against me, the sexy sounds coming from him, all of it just for me, was all too much and I came so hard I saw white spots behind my eyelids.Adam followed closely.And for a while we just stayed there, me locked under his weight, loving the feeling of how he covered me.At some point, right around the time it became necessary for me to breathe again, Adam rolled off me and pulled me into his arms.I rested my head on his chest and started to doze off when he quietly said, “So you’re really okay with that.”

I looked up at him, doing my best to let him read every emotion in me.“I’m really okay with that.”

We spent a good deal of time with kissing after that. But eventually Adam said, “Let’s get showered and get some rest, I think that maybe tomorrow is going to be an important day.”


	5. 5

A quiet knock on my door and the low creak from the doorknob being turned pulled me out of my dream. I didn’t bother opening my eyes; somewhere in my sleep I had already registered her steps before she knocked. 

“Hi, can I come in?” Allison asked in an uncharacteristicly shy voice.

I guess that meant I had to look somewhat awake. So I peeked up at her before rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. 

“Hi, sweet pea, sure.” 

Adam nuzzled my neck in his sleep and pulled me a little closer. A barely noticeable but very content sigh warmed my cheek as he let it out.

“When did you come home?” I asked because she hadn’t been home in two weeks, which is a really long time for her. “Just did, I missed you. Can I sleep in here?”

“Hm hmmm.” I lifted my duvet and she crawled in, my bed isn’t big and it's never been a problem before but I haven’t had Adam sleeping in it before either, and he is tall and big and thank fuck he’s also all about cuddles otherwise I would have had to send Allison back, which would have been sort of cruel. 

“Wanna talk?” I whispered, no point in not asking her since I was awake now. She rubbed her nose against mine and yawned.

“Wanna sleep.”

“Night then.” I planted a soft kiss on her forehead and got a happy sigh in return.

“Night.”

The sound of Adam sleeping and the warmth of both of them made me drift off.I was just on the edge of sleep when Allison ran a finger along the bone in my nose.

“Tommy?”

“Yeah?”

“Who’s the dude?”

“That’s Adam.” 

I don’t know if it was the tone of my voice or if she scented my blood in him, it could also just have been the way we smelled, happy and satisfied or just the fact that he was in my bed but she jumped to the right conclusion.

“He’s good to you?”

I snickered, thinking of how we had spent most of the night, earning a giggle snort from Allison.

“Very.”

“Alright then.” 

And that was it, shortly after that she fell asleep. I wondered for a while if the rest of the pack would be as easily convinced that he belonged with us before finally finding sleep again.

I woke up to a morning wood snugged up in the cleft of my ass and the rest of my body tangled up with both Adam and Allison. Oh yeah and Adam’s lips pressing soft and sleepy kisses along my neck. And if it hadn't been because of Allison plastered all over my front then I would have been very happy. But being turned on so doesn’t go along with having your wolf sister all up in your business.

I knew the exact moment he realized we weren’t alone. It was just a second before my mother loudly knocked on the door telling us to get our asses out of bed and get down for breakfast because she'd found what she was looking for. A nervous feeling took root in my stomach and made it a little hard to focus on the confusion on Adam’s face.

Adam looked at Allison, his eyes huge and quizzical. Allison rubbed her eyes and rolled out of bed, stretching her body and yawning loudly.

“You heard her! Get out of bed guys.” She said and bent down to smack a kiss on my lips. I was expecting that and kissed back. Three seconds later she was out the door yelling at my mother that she wanted coffee and not tea with her breakfast.

I turned around to finally greet Adam with a good morning kiss but he was still staring at the door Allison just went out off.

“Who was that?”

“Allison.”

“Allison? Hmm okay, why was she in our bed?”

I was thinking that Adam had a lot to learn about being in a pack, but at the same time still convinced that he would fit right in. Mom had sounded happy when she knocked on my door, so I wasn’t about to let Allison being in our bed be a problem. “She‘s been away on a trip and came back last night, she missed me and she just needed to feel at home again.”

“Is she?…… uhm..” and there it was, the jealousy, I so didn’t see it coming, I was too focused on pack behavior to see it from his point of view. 

“Nooo, oh my god Adam. She is a wolf sister, part of the pack. And she has been without wolf-contact for two weeks, she just needed to reconnect. Also she is a _kid._ ”

“So it's a wolf thing?” he asked, his tone light and teasing.

He shifted his weight a little and put a thigh between mine, the movement pushing me back onto the mattress.Nodding vigorously and grinning like a loon, because he understood I said, “Yes, a wolf thing.”

“Okay.”

I could feel the smile spreading across my face before he leaned down and kissed me softly, tenderly, and I fucking melted underneath him.When the mood shifted from lazy good morning kisses to _Hello hot_ , he stopped, backed off and said it was time to go down and hear what mom was going to share with us.I groaned loudly and made a show out of rearranging my junk before sulking all the way to the bathroom. Adam soft laughter followed me, and okay perhaps that was not my finest moment, but cockblocking is _not_ funny. 

**

Going into the kitchen hand in hand with Adam was a huge deal but Adam didn’t seem to notice, I guess to him it was just a matter of holding his boyfriend’s hand, but to the wolves any display of affection is significant. Touching means you care - a great deal and it shows that the person you care about belongs.It's that simple.

Mom was sitting at the head of the table, Allison to her right, munching on a piece of bacon and telling all about her adventures. Mom had that ‘I missed you too much kiddo to be annoyed that you’re speaking with your mouth full’ look in her eyes.

I let go of Adam’s hand and went over to kiss my mother’s cheek and getting one in return. Mike was pouring himself a mug of coffee huge enough to drown in. I raised an eyebrow before ruffling his hair a little thinking it probably wasn’t a good idea to kiss him since Adam apparently was a little possessive.Mike, however, pulled me in for a one-armed hug.

“When did you get here? I thought you went home last night.” I asked.

“Just got in, Dia called.”

“Sit boys. Have something to eat.”

So we did. I went for the dish with sausages and bacon and when I was done loading my plate, I passed the serving dish on to Adam. Adam politely took it from me and put it back in the center of the table, then he reached for the grapes and a piece of toast. Mike came over with the coffee and poured two steamy hot mugs for Adam and me before sitting down.

Adam’s voice dripped with sarcasm when he looked at my plate.“You’re going to eat all of that?”

“Yeah, why?”

“How are you so tiny and slender, if you eat like that?” Gone was the sarcasm and instead I just heard surprise and awe. He made me laugh, looking adorable like that.

“Um… wolf?” I said and pointed to myself. Adam laughed and leaned in to kiss me, speaking softly against my lips he said, “Then I want to be a wolf too, that bacon smells like heaven.”

I leaned back and took one of my pieces and offered it to him.

“Eat. That what it’s here for.”

“Can’t though, I’ll get fat and nobody will want me then.”

“Hpmf, you leaving me?”

“No. but-”

“Then you got nothing to worry about, you can eat a piece of bacon.”

Adam sighed and took the bacon from me but instead of putting it in his mouth he carefully put it on his plate. I rolled my eyes, pretty sure Adam wouldn't eat the damn bacon. Adam put a grape in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully before asking, “So Mrs. Ratliff, you said you found what you were looking for?” 

“Dia, Adam. Please call me Dia. And yes I did. Mike is such a bright young man sometimes.”

I swear that Mike got two inches taller and I had to snort loudly. Mike kicked my ankle under the table and I immediately retaliated. We both got the annoyed ‘boys’ look from mom and my focus was back. Mainly because Adam put a hand on my thigh and his thumb drew circles spreading warmth where it touched. 

“So what does that mean?” Adam wanted to know.

“That means we need to introduce you to the pack. I already got in touch with everyone and they’ll all be here the day after tomorrow. Most of them will drop by sooner than that and we’ll probably have to explain things more than once. I hope you have the time to be around?”

Adam nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world. However, my brain was stuck on one word _All?_ I was so fucked. I realized that I hadn’t blocked the others out when all three of them looked at me funnily. I closed them off immediately and got an irritated glare from Mike, the nosy bastard. My mother went on explaining things but I got one of her calm reassuring smiles first.

“When we’re all gathered I’ll tell them about the two of you, how you met and all. I’ll tell them about the three prior cases that I found documentation on. I’ll ask them to welcome you and accept you as ours. It's actually not necessary to do it that way, since I'm still alpha and they have to obey me, but I prefer it that way. This way, on the off chance that someone does protest, it's better if we hear it here first than at council later. Here we have a chance to talk about it. When our pack has welcomed you and accepted you as Tommy’s mate, the next step will be to get Mia’s pack to do the same. Mike seems to think that’s not going to be a problem.”

“Is that it? Sounds too easy, what with the way Tommy was explaining it with your laws.”

Mom smiled at Adam, but looked at me with another ‘this is going to work out look’ in her eyes before returning her gaze to Adam.“No Adam.It's not that simple.Tommy did break our laws and the council won’t be happy about that at all. But that’s where these,” she patted the books, “come in handy.They prove that it has happened before and that the council back then acknowledged it. If our pack is behind this we’re even stronger and if Mia’s pack is willing to do the same," she paused, "and if Mia says that she will accept the pact between them being annulled, you’ll stand even better.”

“But I thought," Adam's brow furrowed in thought, "Tommy said he could risk being an outcast because of us, how is Mia’s word going to change that?”

“I can’t be sure it will, but it'll show the council there are no grudges between them or between our packs, no signs of a war between us.See, it’s the council’s job is to make sure that all wolves behave, so that we can function as a society within human society.That's why these rules are in place, even the ones that seem archaic and superfluous.They're designed to keep all of us safe, no question that some of them could stand to be changed to keep up with the changing times.But we'll worry about that later.For now let’s focus on you meeting the pack. One step at the time.”

“Dia?” 

“Yes, Mike.”

Mike nodded towards me and sent mom one of those conspiratorial looks. “Can I borrow Tommy for a minute?”

“Sure, I’ll just entertain Adam for a while. He's got to have a thousand questions in that pretty head of his.”

They shared that look again and damn if I didn't know a set up when I saw one and I sure as hell wasn’t about to get ambushed. No way was I going to let him drag me into the living room and pick my personal life apart.

“Whatever you want to say, you can say here, dude.”

“Okay, but you asked for it.”

My whole posture screamed ‘I dare you’ and of course he did. Man I was never going to learn, was I?

“Why are you scared? Just before when Dia said that everyone would be here, you were scared.”

Adam’s eyes were glued to me, seeing everything, right into my fucking soul. His hand on my thigh squeezed lightly, comforting. I took a deep breath and sucked my lower lip into my mouth before answering, slowly and carefully, “No not scared.”

Not exactly, but maybe too close to the truth than I cared to think about. Mike just glared at me, demanding an answer, had I been wise enough, I would have used my wolf to make him cooperate but I wasn’t. Instead I let my temper get the best of me.

“Fuck you, Mike. You damn well know he hasn’t been home for two years. Not once have I heard from him.”

Shocked Mike asked, “Trent? That was about Trent?”

“Who’s Trent?” Adam asked and twined our fingers together.

“Tommy’s-” Mike began explaining but stopped, his eyebrows almost hitting his hair line when something dawned on him. “Oh my god he left _because_ of _you_. What the hell Tommy?”

I had sensed the jealous coming from Adam the moment he grabbed my hand, so I was expecting his attempt to stop Mike. “Mike, maybe you should let Tommy-”

“No, I want to know, not just because he left us, but because Tommy doesn’t think he’ll welcome you Adam.” Mike retorted angrily.

Adam turned to look at me again his eyes searching and unsure.“Who is Trent?”

Before I had a chance to say anything, or even catch a breath Mike continued.

“Why Tommy? He loves you, he always has and always will, _why_ wouldn’t he be the first to welcome your mate?”

Trapped between a rock and a hard place, I growled, “Because I fucked up, that’s why. And I’m not scared, but I’ll admit I am a little concerned.”

Allison chimed in at the same time, almost talking over top of me. “Because they were in love, that’s why dickhead. And Tommy’s not sure how Trent will take the news.”

“WHAT?”

“WHAT?”

Adam and Mike both stared at me.Adam pulled his hand away from mine looking like someone had just put a stake through his heart. He pushed his chair out and stood up. Mike just looked like someone had dropped him from the moon.

“Is that true?” Mike asked cautiously, tilting his head and eyeing me suspiciously. 

“Um -”

Unable to find words that wouldn’t hurt Adam, I reached out for him instead. He glanced at me quickly, the hurt evident in his eyes. “What happened to me being the-”

“You were! You are!”

“Right! I need some air.”

He strode out of the kitchen, leaving me behind.I glared angrily at Mike and Allison before hissing, “Happy now?” 

I realized I wasn’t being fair to them but the hurt and betrayal I had seen in Adam’s eyes killed me, and I was aching to make things right between us again.

The front door slammed so hard I wondered briefly if it was still on its hinges. My mom frowned and asked if I truly believed Trent could become a problem. I shrugged and left to find Adam. I had to explain to him first, then the family. They weren’t my first concern anymore, he was.

Adam was half way across the meadow, so I set off in a run to catch up with him. When I was by his side I grabbed his arm and pleaded, “Adam wait.”

He slowed down but kept walking and with a frustrated sigh he ran a hand through his hair, leaving it a bit messy. My fingers itched to comb through it to straighten it out, or maybe just to touch, reconnect, because I felt damn lost right now.

“I get that I can’t be mad at you for this, but damn Tommy! I felt special.”

“You are! Just let me explain.”

He stopped abruptly and I almost ran into him. “I’m not sure I wanna hear it. And I don’t get why I’m this jealous, but I am and picturing you with-”

“But that’s the thing Adam, I was never with him.”

I ached to make this right again. My wolf wanted me close and cuddled up to Adam, wanted to bare its belly to show just how much I was his. I’ve never wanted to roll over like that before. This had nothing to do with lust; it was all about wanting him happy and smiling again. My wolf, a fucking alpha born, was confusing the shit out of me with its sudden desire to surrender to someone else like this. 

Adam looked at me like he didn’t believe a single word but really wanted to at the same time, “Really?”

“He left because he was in love with me, not the other way around.”

He narrowed his eyes, "But Allison said that you were –" he waved his hand in frustration."Nevermind.Why did he leave?”

“Because, argh.”

I turned away from him, too many emotions on his face for me to deal with. He grabbed my hand and even though his voice still was hard, his touch was gentle, leading me back. “Just say it. Get it over with.”

I swallowed and stumbled embarrassingly over the words. “We were close, maybe we were too close to just being friends.I - I don’t even know.But that was what I felt, friendship. I wasn’t ready to change that.He wanted more, and after one drunken night clubbing and dancing where the lines maybe got a little blurry, we ended up having a fight. The last thing he said to me was that if I wasn’t going to man up then he had to leave because he couldn’t be close to me and not _be_ with me. So I said to him, that things would have been very different had he been a chick. Next morning all his things were packed and he was gone.He'd left a note for me saying that he would come home whenever I asked him to if it meant that we could have a future together. I never asked him to come home. And I haven’t heard a word from him since.”

The look in Adam's eyes had gone from angry and hurt to understanding and warmth. His arms had snaked around my neck and pulled me closer as I told him the story I'd never shared with anyone else.

“Hm.Okay.”

“I hurt him Adam. And now he has to come home, to me, wanting him to not only accept a human, but a _male_ one. It's a lot to ask. I don’t doubt that he has moved on, I don’t have any illusions about him still wanting to be with me. But it's still a lot to ask. And Trent can be a moody and stubborn guy.”

“But he also loved you; Mike said that! I can’t imagine he wants you to be unhappy. If you love someone, truly love someone, then you want that person to be happy, even if it means it can’t be with you.”

I looked down at my feet.Adam was making a point here and it made me feel shy for some reason. I looked up at him through my fringe and he brushed my hair away so tenderly that it almost hurt.

“If I said to you that I wanted to go through the mating with Mia, would you be happy for me?”

He shook his head, and held his hand so it cupped my jaw, his thumb caressing my cheek bone. I wanted to melt into that touch. 

“No, because it wouldn’t make you happy. If you smiled at Mia the way you smile at me, or if your breath hitched in your throat and that sweet blush spread across your cheeks or if you got that heat flaring in your eyes when she touched you, then yes, I would. I would back off and be jealous as fuck, but I could never stand between you and her.”

He said that so intimately that my stomach did a silly flip flop and I just had to kiss him. He opened up to me right away and with a few soft strokes of tongue and a gentle nip at his lips my world settled again. 

He laughed cheekily and winked like I was the one that had needed to get the hell out of the kitchen and slamming doors so the hinges whined. Not that I really cared, his laugher seemed to instantly brighten the whole world.

“So, why don’t we go back and tell the others what you just told me. I’m sure Mike is dying to know and maybe your mom should know too. And then when he shows up we’ll deal with it together.”

Have I mentioned how awesome Adam is?


	6. 6

The next two days we spent getting to know more about each other. We took long walks in the woods with quiet conversations, about growing up and our lives in general. We spent hours in bed, sometimes desperate for the other one's touches or making love sweet and slow, and sometimes just making out like teens and whispering sweet nothings. 

Adam also spent a lot of his time asking questions about being in a wolf pack, not just asking me but a lot of the other wolves too. It was like he craved knowledge. He learned a lot about the dynamics regarding how we greet each other. This meant he seemed to relax and not feel so possessive whenever someone touched me or kissed my cheek. But the others also seemed to pick up on how he felt and toned it down a little. I loved them all for that.

What was beyond amazing though, was how easily the wolves just accepted Adam, not one had questioned my actions or the nature of them, not one wasn’t happy for me, for us. And they already seemed to care a lot about him. 

An example of that would be how soon Allison curled up beside him on the couch or Mike just laying a hand on his shoulder when he passed him on his way to the kitchen. Mom was perhaps the worst of them all, clearly he already owned her heart.

It all made me happy, but I couldn't help feeling like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, that it was too damn good to actually be true. The nervous feeling grew stronger as the time for Trent’s arrival came closer and my wolf ached to deal the way it always did when stressed, to be free to run and go where it's muzzle led.

I was sitting on the porch trying to calm the wolf when Adam sat down next to me. “So Jillian says you need to let your wolf out.” He said quietly, kissing me softly.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to leave you here by yourself.”

“What if I went with you?”

Oh I would have loved that but I didn’t want to run into Trent accidentally like that. “Um...”

“It’s okay if you don’t want me to, I can stay here.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“Timing. He could be here any moment.”

“Oh. So you don’t wanna go at all?”

“I do, and maybe I should, I just don’t know.”

“Go then, I’ll stay with the others.Get out there and come back with a clear head.”

I got one of those looks from him that I already loved with an insane passion. The look that said ‘I love you, now do what I say, and trust that I’m right about this’. The really insane part was that my wolf seemed to love it as well.

I pulled my boots off, then my hoodie and handed it to Adam. 

“You’re gonna strip right here?” He looked around and I smiled when I smelled the possessiveness strike again. I totally love that he doesn’t want to share me because I sure as hell didn't want to share him either.

“Yup, where else? Mom will kill me if I mess up the floor with dirty paws when I come home from the woods. If my clothes are out here when I get back then she'll be much happier.”

“Okay then.”

I unbuttoned my pants and started to wiggle out of them and handed them to Adam, his eyes turned darker and heated up. I laughed and desire spiked through me too.

“Hold on to that thought ‘til I get back okay?” 

I flung myself at him for a two second hug and then I jumped the banister and changed right in front of Adam. His whispered “wow” followed me over the meadow and into the woods, the wolf joyful at being free to run. 

I returned an hour later and I'd only reached the porch looking up at Adam who was waiting right where I left him, when a familiar and long-missed scent hit my nostrils. I hadn’t had the chance to change back and I slowly turned around searching the edge of the forest for him. 

Mom must have caught his scent too because she came out, she sat down next to Adam and looked out after Trent too. “Go Tommy, maybe it is best it is just the two of you at first.”

“He’s here?” Adam asked and pushed off the bench. Mom put a hand on him leading him back onto it. Adam was following her gentle lead but every little part of him wanted to be between me and Trent, to keep me safe, to keep me his.

I whimpered and looked at Adam. Hating he couldn’t understand me in this form and wanting nothing more than to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about. I leaped up to him and nuzzled against his jawline and licked his neck. I could hear Trent, now in wolf form coming closer, waiting and watching. His mind was still closed off to me so I couldn't hear him.

Adam put his arms around me and hugged me tightly. Scratching my ears the way he did that first time in the clearing. “Should we wait here or do you want me to go with you?”

“Neither Adam. You stay here, Tommy goes.”

My mother’s voice left nothing up for debate but Adam still tried, “But Dia-”

“Tommy!”

O _kay I’m going, just take care of him_. Mom nodded. I looked at Adam one more time before leaving him behind to meet Trent for the first time in two years.

We met half way. Trent’s ears drawn back, head and shoulders low and tail down. _Tommy,_ he whispered in my mind. We circled each other carefully but somehow it felt like something inside me was finally whole again. We both felt it, the wolf never forgets where it belongs and no matter what , we’re still in the same pack. Bound together.

_ I can’t believe you’re here. I missed you. _ I said truthfully.

_ Not enough to ask me to come home. _ He sounded bitter and I couldn’t blame him.

_ How could I? It wouldn’t have been fair. It would have been selfish. _

_ I never gave up hoping.  _

My heart bled for him it really did. I’ll never stop caring about him for as long as I live and his words hurt me. _I’m sorry._

_ I know you are, doesn’t make it easier. _

_ You still feel that way? _

_ Yeah, I do. _

I swallowed hard, wishing there was a way I could somehow ease his pain. _I wish…. This is going to sound stupid but I wish things could have been different that it could have been you._

_ But I wasn’t a chick… _ he sniffed the air surrounding me and I knew he was isolating Adam’s scent. _Or him._

_ I didn’t choose this. It chose us. _

_ I understand that and I accept it, doesn’t mean I have to love it, because I don’t. And you can’t force me to like him or care about him Tommy. _

_ I know, and I will never ask anything else from you. But I need this from you. I need you to say it is okay and mean it. _

_ Then go home, I’ll join you in a minute when I’ve changed, so we can get it over with. I don’t think I want to stick around too long. _

_ Trent? _

_ Yeah. _

_ Thank you, and I am sorry. _

_ I know. I’ll live. _

He glanced back at the porch where Adam was sitting so strung tight that he looked as if he was about to jump off the bench and run towards us any second.An evil glint sparked in Trent’s eyes and before I realized what the hell he was up to, he rubbed his head against mine in an intimate wolf greeting, much like we used to do, but this time it wasn’t for me. It was a provocation, and it was all for Adam.

We both heard Adam’s gasp and smelled the jealousy burn in him. I sighed and rolled my eyes at Trent and called him an idiot, he grinned wickedly and told me I was so very welcome. I turned to go home and fix things with Adam.Which didn’t take much, just a change back and a quietly whispered, “I got his accept!” and Adam was back to his sunny self.

**

An hour later when the rest of the wolves had welcomed Trent back home with great enthusiasm, mom asked the pack to gather in the living room because she needed to have a serious talk with all of us. Adam smiled at me and looped an arm around my shoulder and I melted into him, reveling in the closeness as we entered the living room.

Our pack consisted of 29 wolves and they were all there sitting on the couch or the floor, or leaning against various furniture. My mother was standing in the middle of the room, the center of our attention. 

“Listen, I know you all heard the story when you came here, but it's important to me that everyone knows what this is about and knows about the possible consequences. I want to do this right.”

She looked at each and every single wolf before continuing. “I would like to welcome this young man,” she beckoned Adam over. Seeing as he wasn't about to let go of me, I followed tucked in by his side. A quick glance up at him confirmed the possessive vibe coming off him in waves. _He was totally showing me off as his!_ Normally I wouldn’t have minded, but only a mere three feet away from mom was Trent, looking at me with a pained expression. It was telling and very clear why he'd left in the first place. I looked away and pulled out of Adam’s hold, lacing our fingers together instead, it would have to do at that moment.

“….Into our pack, he’s human. But of course you all know that. He is also Tommy’s destined mate. And even though things have not taken the proper turn of event by wolf-law the…"

Adam looked down at me with that look that said ‘what we have is so special that the rest of the world can’t possible know how much you mean to me’ and the world disappeared for a while. I tuned out my mother’s voice and all I saw and felt was Adam. Desire spiked through me but somehow Mike’s evil snicker wormed its way through the haze in my brain. I broke the eye-contact with Adam and flipped Mike off.

“….so with that I ask if there's anyone that feels like they need to share any concern towards this.”

Immediately Trent raised a hand. My heart dropped to my stomach and I felt Adam tense beside me.

“Trent?”

“Yeah, so congrats or whatever.I got a couple of questions.Will Tommy mate,” he sighed and ground his teeth together, creating a whiny sound that made me shudder. "…mate with Adam before or after stepping up to the alpha role? And I’ve seemed to pick up that Adam is a singer, which of course he is, Tommy being Tommy, but that also means touring life. I want to know if it that means leaving this pack without an alpha for months, assuming there's a place in the band for you.” 

Trent looked straight at me and I swallowed, I hadn’t exactly found the time to tell Adam about what I did when I wasn’t busy being wolfish. We had spent much more time on growing up stuff and well, fooling around. Adam looked at me quizzically but must have decided to let it slide because he turned back to listen when Trent continued. “And I’m also concerned about Mia’s pack. How is this going to affect them?”

“Mia’s pack will be fine.” Mike said from the back of the room.

Trent raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?Because last time I checked a female alpha is more lightly to be challenged for her position than a male. If she doesn’t team up with Tommy, it's only a matter of time before one of the other packs begins to pay interests to hers. If Tommy mates with Adam it leaves our friends vulnerable.

“Are you sure this is about our pack and Mia? Because it is pretty obvious you don’t seem happy about Adam being here.” Jillian asked softly.

She got a hard angry stare from Trent because of that comment but she just looked back and calmly waited for an answer. 

“I’m not and obviously I have my reasons for that, but I’m not delusional. Wishing him gone doesn’t change anything for me, sadly. But we all know the reason Dia or Mia for that matter, at least until now, haven't had any other alphas around trying to claim territory here. It's because Tommy is strong and fast as fuck even though he doesn’t exactly look like it, and that in theory he could have been the leader for the last two years. The council would have accepted it had Dia wanted to step back when Ron died. But Mia doesn’t have a strong back up any more if Tommy mates Adam instead of her, because she was supposed to become one herself.I don’t want our friends to be screwed over by this.”

He looked around the room before his eyes landed on me. There was an apology in the way he shrugged his shoulder. I accepted it with a small shrug of my own.Adam glanced down at me before he directed those beautiful baby blues at Trent.

“Those are valid questions, Trent.I understand why you ask them.” Adam’s voice was clear and bright. 

Trent looked at Adam with disbelief written all over his face.“Really?!”

“Yeah, I might not be wolf - yet. But, I would never leave my friends in a tough spot either. And since Mia and her pack are important to Tommy, then they are to me too.”

I stared at Adam, wondering like hell what he meant by ‘yet’. We hadn’t once talked about him turning wolf, Adam must have noticed even though he was looking at my mother, because he squeezed my hand and ran his thumb over my pulse point ever so slowly. 

“Dia is it true? That Mia’s pack would be vulnerable? Does the pact made in the past hold that much power?” Adam asked.

“Yes, but Mia is much stronger than most give her credit for and she has been leading her pack for two years, not many of the alphas out there would be able to beat her.”

Adam nodded, storing the information and chewing on it for a second. “But there are some and they would if they knew they had a chance, is that what you’re saying?”

My mother nodded slowly and suddenly the room was buzzing with nervous energy. The only one that seemed perfectly calm was Mike. I looked at him and he just winked at me and tapped the side of his nose.

“Shit! So how do we solve that?” Adam asked wide eyed.

“Mike?” I said.

The rest of the people in the room turned to look at Mike, who just stood there, leaning against the wall looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Well?” Trent said prompting Mike.

“I have a pretty good idea but it's too early to tell, it might screw things up if I do. But I really think Mia is going to be okay. We’re _all_ going to be okay.” 

Mike and my mother dearest shared one of those damn conspiratorial looks again before Mike looked back at me. I smirked at him, thinking back on what he'd said about Mia being open for someone else if she wasn’t committed to me anymore.

_ Soooo not about that dude!Even though I wouldn’t mind being a part of her life like that _ . 

Okay, so I was back to being confused, then what the hell was that look about? _Then what?_ I asked him. 

_ I told you, it’s too early, just trust me okay?  _

I offered him a small nod and got another irritating as hell wink from him.

“Care to let the rest of us into that conversation?I think we all need a little reassuring here.” Trent said, and it wasn’t like he wasn’t telling the truth, because the nervous energy might have simmered down a bit but it was still there. 

“I just asked Tommy for patience, but I think it might be a really bad idea for Tommy to claim the alpha role before mating with Adam and Adam turning wolf. And I do think we should ask to see the council before the next full moon.” That last part was directed at my mother who was already nodding along.

“Hmm, that might be pushing it, but I too, think it's important. I’ll try my best to make it happen. But first of all we need to know if you’re all supporting Tommy in this and then I need a word with Mia.”

Mike was the first to hug me and then Adam. “I’m with you all the way, no matter what, I’m with you. Welcome, Adam.”

Then Allison jumped me, almost using me as a jungle gym before latching on to Adam as if her life depended on it, but before she said she welcomed him, she asked him with twinkling eyes, what appeared to be her biggest concern. “Can I still sleep in his bed every once in a while??”

“Our bed!Yes, sweetie, you can.”

“Good.Then Adam, I soooooo welcome you!”

She smacked a loud kiss on his lips and made him laugh, a sound that was rich and delighted. A laugh very close to the one reserved only for me, in bed, when we fool around and things haven't gotten too serious yet. It instantly made me want.

The other wolves followed, not quite as enthusiastic, but not with any less feeling when saying it and I got all emotional and shit, because really?! That’s how much they love, that’s how much they value their family. Finally, only one was left to welcome Adam.

Trent sighed heavily before he approached Adam. “So, here we are,” he said in a low voice. There was a raw emotion I could hear in his voice that just broke my heart a little.

“Yeah.” Adam said, waiting politely. 

I could feel his strength, his determination. The way he just knew that no matter what Trent said right there, that it wouldn’t change a thing for Adam. I belonged to him and that was the end of it. I know that Trent sensed it too, any wolf in the room could. 

A sad, defeated and maybe even bitter smile tugged at the corner of Trent’s lips. “Don’t just love him.Make him _happy_.”

“I’ll do my best.”

They looked at each other for what seemed like forever in some sort of pissing contest, before Trent broke the deafening silence. “If you wrong him in any way, I swear.”

“You’ll hunt me down, yeah I get it.”

“You also get that it is about his happiness, not yours or mine. And that I’ll be in your face for the rest of my life from time to time.”

“Yep.”

Trent reached out to take Adam’s hand and Adam extended his too. They shook hands and Trent said some of the most important words in my life, “Welcome Adam.”

He then turned to face me, he swallowed hard and I saw an unshed tear hiding in the corner of his eye. “Fuck Tommy, this is it. I finally have to let you go,” he whispered.

“ I’m-”

“Don’t say it, please don’t say it. I know. Just give me a hug and tell me I still matter to you.”

The air around me was filled with the heavy scent of Adam’s feelings about me. Pride, jealousy, love and pure possessiveness reeked off him. I shot Adam a nervous glance, asking for his permission before opening my arms to Trent. Adam sent me a small but confident smile so I took a step forward and wrapped my arms tightly around Trent; he hugged me back fiercely and buried his face in the crook of my neck.

“You do! You’ll always own a place in my heart. You are special to me and I wish you’d stay here, that you could be my friend again.”

“I’ll be here until I’m no longer needed. Then you have to let me go too. Please understand that Tommy.”

I withdrew from the hug and we looked each other in the eye before I silently agreed to that.

Trent walked out the door without looking back only stopping to let my mother know that he'd be in the woods until the wolf in him was ready to return.

I looked after him as he went out the door and I couldn't remember ever feeling this bad about hurting someone before. My wolf was so stressed about a pack member hurting that I physically ached. But at the same time, I was relieved that we got an accept and welcome from all of the pack members. I let out a strangled little noise.

Adam pulled me into his arms and calmed both the wolf and me. It was such a strange feeling, I guess only a mate can do that to a were, to satisfy both the wolf and the man. The living room emptied without me noticing it, I honestly can’t say how long we stood there Adam holding me together. But finally Adam said, “Let’s get out of here. I think we need to talk in private for a change.”


	7. 7

We ended up in my room with the door closed to keep the world out. Adam sprawled across my bed and I curled up next to him, my head on his chest and the sound of his heartbeat keeping me grounded.

“Are you okay baby?” Adam asked me softly and began to comb his fingers through my hair.

“Yes. I just…. He’s… yeah.” 

“You're worried about him.”

“I am. What he did for us today…I asked a lot and he just gave it away. So yeah, I worry.”

Adam’s hand stilled and I looked up at him. “ _You_. What he did for _you_. He made that pretty clear.” Adam is damn good at the whole poker face thing and right there he made sure to keep his face neutral, it isn’t that easy to fool a wolf though, so I had no problem picking up on the jealousy simmering under the surface.I figured that this was probably more about the fact that I had a history with Trent, one Adam would never be a part of than about him worrying about Trent now. Still made me feel like reassuring him though.

“You know you have nothing to worry about right? I mean, all this must be sort of hard to swallow for a human, but that fact that you’re my mate literally means that I wouldn’t be able to walk away even if I wanted to. I already tried and I failed Adam.”

“I understand that Tommy, I want an eternity with you too.” 

He looked at me with such soft fondness and there was no doubt that he meant what he said, that it took me a second to remember what my point was.

“And you saw how supportive the other wolves were, even though there might be severe consequences. He’ll always be loyal to the words he spoke earlier in the living room.”

“Hmm, I think it's more like he’ll always be loyal to you. He doesn’t want me anywhere near you. But anyway, he had some really valid points and I think we need to talk about them.”

I had to smile a little. These small bits of Adam were just like precious gifts. I learned something new about him all the time. Right there, on my bed, cuddled against him I learned that when he doesn’t want to linger on a subject he’ll go all practical on you. Find a new thing to chew on. I played along. 

“Uh huh. If Mia and her pack agree to all of this, which Mike doesn’t seem to think is going to be a problem and I’m starting to believe that too, then we have to figure out a way to keep her pack safe. Mia has already done so much work toward making the pack more democratic, it would kill her to see it whipped back by another alpha.”

“Couldn’t you and Mia make a new pact? Unite the packs without the mating? If you both consented?”

“Not that simple. You can win or lose a pack to a more dominant alpha; or you can unite by mating, those are the laws. But of course we can always be by her side.”

“So we need to work around that.” Adam said and shifted his weight. I moved to get closer, put a thigh between his legs and nuzzled his neck before peppering small kisses there. Adam made a small broken noise of pleasure and the arm around me tightened. I smiled happily against the soft skin below his ear. 

“Hmm. Though I’m not sure there's much to work with. The laws are pretty clear.”

Adam laughed softly and poked me in my ribs. “Or maybe you’re too close to see it!”

Squirming away from that offensive finger and trying to hold back the laughter building in my chest I managed to get out, “Oh my god I’m going to have to keep you and Mike apart!”

Adam pulled me back into his arms and let out a satisfied sigh when I just let him. He let a hand wander up and down on my back and tilted my head with the other so he could look me in the eyes. “So what did Trent mean that of course I had to be a singer since you were being you?”

“Oh that, just that it is sorta natural that my mate would be into music since I am.”

I smiled and brought up a hand to show him my fingers, wiggling them. He grabbed my hand and examined them closely, before pressing a soft kiss on each finger. I knew that wasn’t supposed be a turn on but damn all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss those damn lips, to chase those precious freckles on his bottom lip with my tongue. 

“The callouses,” His beautiful face lit up and his voice was filled with awe.“You play! Why haven’t we talked about this before?”

“Yes I play.Guitar and bass, and um, we were talking about all this wolf stuff I guess and doing this.” 

I surged up to kiss him, to do exactly what I had been thinking about. Pressing him back onto the bed and chasing those damn freckles before thrusting my tongue into his mouth, he moaned and opened right up to me, kissing me back with the same dedication. Heat ran through me and my blood ran south. I let my hand wander over Adam’s body down his thighs and up again to cup his cock through his pants. He captured my hand and pulled it away before I got to the button. I groaned and bit down on his lip before ending the kiss.Adam giggled sweetly and kissed me chastely. Making it very clear I wasn’t getting any right there.

“Those are good reasons. So do you want to play with me?”

Fuck him very much, cockblocking and talking! I threw myself backwards in frustration so I was lying next to him instead of sprawled all over him.

“Kinda thought I was!”

He rolled over and put a hand under his head looking at me with laughter in his ridiculously blue eyes.

“Dork. Right now we’re talking and I meant in the band.”

Still sulking I said. “Not sure I should.”

“Why?”

He was getting a little worried because I was still sulking so I decided to suck it up and be serious.

“Because Trent is right. It could end up leaving the pack alone for long periods of time, I heard that voice of yours, you’re going places Adam; you’re going to conquer the word.”

Adam is easy, well not easy in the terms of me getting what I want all the time. But easy in the terms of pleasing, it never takes much to make him smile or to make him feel loved and cared for. Small things make him shine so bright the sun should be jealous.

“Aww, but I want you by my side, always. I’m not going to leave you behind Tommy, I wouldn’t know how to.”

And apparently I’m a sappy fucker too, because those words made me warm and happy and released a bundle of butterflies in my stomach.

“I know, trust me, but the wolves are important too. A part of being a wolf is this bond between pack-members, I suppose it is stronger than the average family bond between humans and they’ll be in the same position as Mia’s pack if I’m not around.Besides you haven’t heard me play.”

“Yeah that needs to change sometime today.” I got one of those challenging looks that said ‘don’t argue, it won’t work’ and damn it, it should have ticked me off, but instead I wanted to jump right up and get my guitar.

“Couldn’t your mom take care of the pack? She is already doing a damn good job of it now.”

“Naw, I don’t think it would work. The pack would have no problem with that, but the council might. Besides she is getting older and she deserves not to have to be at the top of her game all the time.”

“Yeah, but you have things like, I don’t know, beta’s right?So maybe Mia could be the one? Once we figure out how to unite the packs and nobody would go after her or them when the pack is fifty wolves, would they??”

I thought about it for a while before answering.Adam just waited patiently, giving me the time to consider it.

“No I don’t think anyone would dare. I just don’t see how we’re going to make that happen.I can’t fight Mia.Please don’t ever ask me to do that.”

Adam shook his head in agreement and changed the topic. “Did Mike really tell you to have patience or……?”

The pointed look combined with his scent was another precious gift, another piece of the puzzle. Adam _hates_ not knowing everything that involves me.

“Yeah he did. I kinda thought it was about him and Mia because I think he’s seriously crushing on her. But he said it wasn’t, and said we just need to trust him. He can be a really smart sometimes and he is just a step further away from it all, so he isn’t caught up in all the emotions.”

I rolled my eyes to take the edge off the words, it worked because Adam laughed rich and melodic. Then he moved to straddle my hips and bent down, kissing me all soft and lazy and so fucking thorough that there was no doubt that he poured everything into that kiss. When he pulled back he let his thumb trail my lips.

“Are you admitting you love me too much to focus?”

I swallowed.The mood had shifted from light and teasing to heavy and loaded in a split second. It was all there all the time, the lust, the love, the burning passion. It wasn’t like I didn’t feel it, or didn’t know he felt it too. We'd talked about what it would mean to be mates and talked about how to keep me and the packs out of the fire, but we hadn’t actually said it. 

I guess the man in me was a whole lot more scared than the wolf was. Three stupidly small words compared to words like eternity and for life. But they were still somehow much harder to say. Adam searched my eyes and if it wasn’t for that strange power he has over me I would have looked away, done my best to hide from all this.

“Tommy? You do love me right? I know we just met and all but -” the insecurity he felt almost killed me and I remembered that he didn’t have the senses I did, he couldn’t smell the things I didn’t say. I could have kicked myself for being so dumb. This must have been so much harder on him. So I gave it all up for him, surrendered completely.

“I love you Adam. I love you so much that I have a hard time thinking about anything else but you.”

“Jesus Tommy.” Adam whispered.

He practically radiated happiness and there was an urgency in his eyes that mirrored mine perfectly when he came down to kiss me. There was a loud knock on the door. We both groaned loudly when Mia popped her head in.

“Hi guys. Can I come in?”

There is timing and there is bad timing and Mia is the fucking master of bad timing. I swear to all things unholy. “No.” I said.

But Adam laughed, put his head on my shoulder and said it was fine and Mia walked in all sunny and shit. She tilted her head and looked at me lying under Adam, mischief sparkling in her eyes. 

“Comfy?”

“I would have been a whole lot comfier if you hadn’t interrupted.” I said and looked pointedly at the door, she just snickered.

“Aww, you’re not getting any?”

Damn her, I was seriously losing my patience. “I was about to, can this wait Mia? You’re kinda ruining something that was meant to be special.”

She just shook her head and pulled the chair from the corner closer to the bed.She sat down, resting her elbows on her knees and locking gazes with me. I sent her a challenging look and she sent a mocking one right back but then it changed to concern.

“I just saw Trent out in the woods. He didn’t exactly look happy and when I asked if the pack had accepted Adam, he looked like he was going to snap and almost bit my head off. Why doesn’t he like Adam?”

Oh damn! Now she had my attention, and Adam’s too because he rolled off me and shoved himself up to a vertical position.

“Oh? So what did he say?” I asked, ignoring her question.

“Not much. I did get him to tell me the pack had accepted Adam and that's why I was sent for. I'm really happy for you.”

“Really?” Adam asked cautiously. 

I reached out a hand to get pulled up too and he took it and somehow I ended up on his lap, not that I was complaining. Adam wasn't either because he put his arms around me and held me close. Mia smiled when I ran my nose up his jaw and nuzzled him.

“Do you want to keep doing that for the rest of your life?” 

“I will, no matter what Mia, even if I get kicked out to be an outcast by the council. At least I’ll always have this.”

I looked up at Adam, who had a happy grin on his face.

“Yeah, so um about that, I’ve talked to my pack.”

We both turned our heads to stare at her, holding our breath because whatever she was about to say could be epic one way or the other.

“You talked to your pack?” Adam prompted.

“Yes, I did. And they want me to deliver their congratulations and their wishes for a happy future. They also said not to worry, that things would work out in the best way \- the last part is purely Mike’s doing by the way.”

“Wow.” I whispered and Adam hugged me a little tighter.

“Yeah, I know right? So anyway I’ve talked to your mom and the three of us are going to meet with the council the day after tomorrow.”

I nodded thoughtfully, already getting my head in gear for that meeting, man, I was going to kick ass, when Adam asked, “But I thought Dia would go with us. Isn’t that for the best?”

My mind was still elsewhere when I answered automatically that Mia meant herself, Mom, and me. Adam tensed immediately and I could smell his possessiveness and his anger rise before he said another word.“Then I guess we’ll be four at that meeting.”

“No baby, you have got to stay here, you’re not a wolf. You can’t be in the same room as our ruler.”

“Like hell I can't, I will not be left here like a disobedient child waiting for them to judge our future.”

I shifted so that I could cup his face and capture his eyes in my gaze.

“They’re not really judging yours but mine, no matter what you’re stuck with me.”

“They’re judging _our_ lives Tommy, if you guys can’t convince them about the rightfulness of what you did, then they’ll take something of significant value from you. How isn’t that going to affect me?”

I understood what he meant, but this wasn’t something he could be a part of even if I wanted him to and for the first time my wolf didn’t want to give in to him. It didn’t want to be questioned on its ability to guard and protect.

I felt Mia tense when she recognized my wolf fighting to make his voice matter. She expected my tone but she still winced when I took a strong demanding hold of Adam's jaw and looked at him determinedly.

“I know what you’re saying Adam, but this is not up for debate. You have got to trust me, to trust my wolf. You’re staying here or wherever you want, but you’re not going with us. I can look out for myself and I got two strong pack voices with me and we’re bringing documented proof that this has been accepted before.”

“But-”

“No, if you go you could jeopardize everything. I need you to trust me.”

I looked over at Mia waiting for her to back me up and she glanced at me quickly before telling Adam that I was right and that he needed to stay behind. He looked at me before hitting his head back into the wall behind him, the frustration so evident that my wolf almost took pity on him.

“Alright, but I don’t have to like it one bit!”

“No you don’t. You just have to accept it.” Mia said in a silky soft voice. 

 

Adam just glared at her until she got of the chair and left us alone. When the door clicked shut behind her Adam turned to look at me, his anger barely buried under his feelings of inadequacy.“I _hate_ that I can’t be there for you.”

“You will be.” I took his hand and put it over my heart, “in here, giving me the strength and willpower to pull this off.”

** 

The morning of the council meeting came way too soon. In the days leading up to it, Adam was grumpy and worried but most of all annoyed with the fact that he was being left behind to wait.His annoyance rubbed off on me and we had a bunch of stupid fights about ridiculous things, like what to eat or what not to eat or who exactly stole the covers during the night when I was shivering from cold. We'd fight one moment and the next we'd be letting our frustrations out in bed, making up the best way imaginable. I worried too, but not about meeting the council. When I received the acceptance from the pack and they welcomed Adam, a relaxed calm determination took over. I lost the feeling of angst that had been hanging over my head.What I did worry about though was Trent. He hadn’t been home yet and other than Mia nobody had seen him out in the woods. Mia had asked me about him several times but I avoided answering her. It was no longer a secret in my pack how Trent felt about me, but I didn't want to talk about it when he wasn't around because it would feel too much like a betrayal.

We left at the break of dawn and arrived half an hour early, despite that the council was already assembled in the great room. Just like the first time, it took away my breath and my heart pounded. This was it, my moment of truth.

I remembered the first time I ever entered that room. I was perhaps ten years old and I was holding my father’s hand. I felt so little and intimidated but also breathless from the beauty of the room. “Made for great men to rule in,” my father had told me. 

It practically breathed power. There were three thrones with beautiful ornaments, a vaulted ceiling whitewashed withgolden patterns decorating the arch of it. The floor was made of marble, three different colors with variable patterns. 

Darren interrupted my reflection when he strode across the floor and reached out a hand to greet my mother. “Dia, welcome.” 

She took his hand and with a small nod she accepted his greeting.He turned to face me and I took his hand in a firm grip to show him that I wasn’t intimidated by him. 

“And you too Thomas.” He seemed a bit surprised, but it was only for a split second so I wasn’t sure that I didn’t just imagine it. 

“Thank you for taking the time to meet us.” I said.

He smiled that little cold smile that always makes me think that he must have seen too much or not enough, to make a cynic out of him. He turned to greet Mia as well.

“And you Mia, welcome.”

Mia took his hand and she made me damn proud when she held her head high and proud. “Thank you Darren.”

He looked at all three of us and with a sweep of his arm he invited us to approach the thrones. We walked behind him until he held a hand up silently telling us to stop. He took the last few steps up and sat down on the throne in the middle. The two other members of the council acknowledged us with a nod and then Darren spoke.

“So I understand there is a problem?”

It was only natural that mom being the current alpha took the lead, a determined tone evident in her voice.

“No, not a problem, just an urgent matter we need to discuss before the full moon.”

Another of those cynical smiles and a quick glance at me. “So I hear.”

“The mating that should have taken place at the full moon isn’t going to happen. Tommy found his true mate and Mia and Tommy have decided to break the pact.”

Darren looked a t mom thoughtfully, tapping a finger on his lip. “Hmm. Is this true Mia? You’re releasing him from the pact?”

“Yes. Of course I am. I couldn’t deny him his mate that would have been cruel.”

Another speculative look, this time it took him much longer before he spoke again. And I got hit by the feeling that he was trying to make Mia squirm. To see if she really meant her words.

“But you understand your pack could be of interest to others then?”

Mia stuck her chin out defiantly and I had to resist laughing because Mia in her stubborn and defiant mode is about as cute as it gets. “I’m stronger than I look, I can hold my own.”

Darren nodded slowly and searched her face. “Perhaps. Time will tell. But you have my wishes for a happy future.”

“Thank you.” The way she said it was almost daring. I’ll tell you Mia has got some balls. My heart swelled with pride.

Darren snapped his head and pinned me with a cold look. I straightened up and met his eyes with an easy calm that I know for a fact confused him.

“So the pact is off the table and you’re going to mate another? Who?”

Darren was clever but it was obvious he was playing games. I had no doubt that he'd done some investigating the very second we asked for an audience. Except I had no idea how much he knew which made playing games difficult. I knew I would have to remain calm, so I held his gaze and without so much as a blink I told him as little as possible. “His name is Adam.”

“Oh I see. And he’s human isn’t he?”

And there it was, Darren tipping his hand. Now I knew just how careful I had to be. “Yes he is. And we didn’t exactly follow the straight path to each other at least not by wolf law.”

“I heard that too.”

“I thought so. We’re here today to resolve any issues there might be because of that.”

He tilted his head and tapped his lip again. I could tell that by being this upfront I'd thrown him off his game, he was expecting fear and I showed none. “You realize Thomas, that you broke the law, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“As an heir to your pack I’m sure you’re educated in our laws.”

“I am. At least by the ones we live by on daily terms.”

He looked a little puzzled and I had to hold back a smirk, I had given him a bone and he knew it he just didn’t know what to make of it. His eyes narrowed. “So you know the punishment for your actions.”

“Yes I do.”

“Do you accept them?”

He watched me intensively, waiting for my fear to break free any minute. When I nodded, he seemed almost relieved that I didn’t start to beg. He leaned back on his throne and listened to me.

“Of course I accept the laws, but there is always the one exception that validates the rule. And my case might be just that exception.”

He snorted and the two other council members shared a worried look. “What makes you dare to think so?”

This was it, this was when I had to step up and defend myself. I took a deep breath and let the words flow.

“I’ve never met Adam before that day in the forest. I was just letting my wolf have a little stress relief when I heard the cry of a stranger being attacked. His voice called out to me, pulled me by my wolf until I stood between him and an extremely grumpy bear. I _risked my life_ because my _wolf_ willed me to. My wolf knew Adam before I did. Adam’s wounds were severe, he was dying and I did the only thing my wolf would let me; I changed before him and offered him _survival_ on my blood. He took it. I _dare_ to claim my wolf knew his mate before I did. I _dare_ to claim that saving his life was the only thing I could do. I also want to point out that I _did not_ claim him even though my entire being ached for him to belong to me. I only did what was necessary to keep him alive.”

For a long time all three men just stared at me. Then Darren let out a little noise, sounding a lot like a suppressed laughter. I didn’t quite know what to make of it.

“I suspect that since you’re here with Mia, both packs have been informed about all this?”

“Yes.”

“And Dia, your pack welcomed Adam even though they knew this could lead to Thomas being condemned to be an outcast.”

“Yes they did.” My mother’s voice was filled with warmth and pride of her pack. Darren had that speculative look playing on his face again. “All of them?”

“Yes all of them.”

“Hmmm, I’m going to need more than that.” All three of us tensed, what the hell did he mean?

Darren looked across the room at a woman I hadn’t noticed before.

“Alice, will you be so kind to ask Trent to get in here?”

“Yes sir.”

My heart dropped, what the hell did he want Trent for? I sneaked a peak at Mia and she looked worried. My palms began to sweat and I fought the urge to dry them off in my pants. I focused on disguising my scent and remaining calm. Trent had given us his word, he had welcomed Adam. I just had to trust my old friend. He had been just as close a friend as Mia and he wouldn’t betray me. I kept those words like a fucking mantra in my head as I watched Trent enter the room. 

He shot me a quick pained glance before turning his attention to Darren, who smiled his cold, hard smile. Trent winced visually.

“Trent. Welcome.”

“Sir.” Trent kept his eyes on Darren and I know he felt my gaze, I know he kept looking at Darren because he couldn’t meet my eyes.

“I asked you to join us today because you asked to see me two and a half years ago. Do you remember that?”

Trent looked down at the floor and said in a low voice before looking back up at Darren. “Yes, I remember.”

“You came to me, to this council to ask if it was possible for Thomas to be released from the pact if he fell in love with someone who was more destined to be his mate than Mia. Do you remember I asked you, who you thought that wolf could be? Do you remember your answer?”

I managed to hold back the whimper that pressed to get free in my throat. I had no idea that he had been that dedicated, that his feelings had extended to that. I apparently hurt him more than I thought I could. In that moment I was so relieved that Adam couldn’t be with us. I was never going to tell him this. Never. But I had to talk to Trent about it sometime and it would have to be sooner than later. And then I needed to apologize to him for being the reason his feelings were put on display, nobody deserved that.

“Yeah. Me. I wanted it to be me.”

It was barely more than a whisper but it could just as well have been shouted form a mountain top. Mia looked at me, confused and yet it was clear that she was fitting the pieces together. She pushed at my mind and I let her in.

_ You were lovers? _ She asked.

_ No never, and I didn’t understand the extent of his feelings before it was too late. I thought it was innocent, like you and me, and I never took it for anything but friendship.  _

_ Why didn’t you tell me? _

_ I wish I had, but I was too ashamed. I hurt him Mia.  _ The look she sent me was filled with emotions.But one shone above all the others and that was love. I offered her a small smile.

Darren, thank god, was occupied with Trent and didn’t notice us. “So it is safe to assume that you would most likely be the one wolf that would care the most about the subject of Adam.”

Trent shot me a nervous glance. I managed to keep my features neutral.

“I guess so.”

“So tell me.” Darren prompted. 

Trent looked utterly confused. “I’m not sure what it is you want to know, but I welcomed him just like the rest of the wolves did.”

Darren looked stunned; he had not expected that answer at all. “Did you? Hmm, that’s quite impressive.I guess your feelings towards Thomas changed along the road.”

“No…” Trent looked away from Darren and this time he looked directly at me. He held my gaze for the longest time. I don’t know what he saw but something changed in him. He winked at me and smiled softly before looking back at Darren.

“They didn’t and unless I find the mate created for me I highly doubt they ever will. But Adam is meant to be with Tommy, I’m not. I can’t fight Mother Nature. Neither should the council.”

Darren raised his brows at Trent’s boldness. “So tell me Trent, will Adam be good to the pack, will he fit in even though he's human?”

“He already does, the other wolves seem to care for him very much.”

“Hmm. So they would protect him as they would one of their own?”

Trent looked at me and for the first time in over two years I could see my old friend again, the friend I loved dearly, the friend I could share everything with.He looked back at Darren and said with complete confidence, “Yes, I believe they would.Some of them already think of him as a member of the pack.”

“Would you?” Darren’s voice was hard and sharp, meant to force the truth out of Trent, who tilted his head and obviously put some thought into his answer. 

“Is there a threat to him I don’t know about?”

“Just answer my question.”

“Yes, I would. Tommy would expect me to; my alpha would expect me to, isn’t that what you do in a pack?”

“Touché. Would Adam want you to?”

I felt like this was a trick question but Trent answered it like he did all the others.

“I doubt it; he’s the kind of guy that wants to fight his own battles.”

That got Darren’s attention way more than I wanted it to. It _was_ a trick question; the thing was I couldn't figure out just what he wanted with that little tidbit.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm. Thank you for your time Trent, you may be excused.”

Trent nodded and turned around to leave. Before he left though, he stopped and reached out take my hand. I met him half way and we squeezed each other’s hands for a short moment and then let go.

“We’ll talk later okay?” I said in a low voice.I got a small nod and a tiny smile in return. When Trent closed the door behind him Darren claimed my attention again.

“So it looks like you really did get your whole pack behind you in this Thomas.And Mia’s too.I’m very impressed.This Adam must be something special.”

I wanted to smile at that so bad, he had no idea how special Adam truly was.

Mia snorted quietly, “Or maybe Tommy is the special one?” 

Darren laughed and looked at Mia. For the first time he didn’t seem as cynical. “Oh I don’t doubt the love Thomas has earned for himself in both packs, Mia. He’s been enchanting everyone since birth, but you can’t tell me that the wolves don’t respond to a human that wants to fight his own battles.”

She looked just as shocked as me at that statement.“No. I can’t.”

My mother cleared her throat and took a step forward, holding the family books close. “Darren? If I may?” She glanced quickly at the books and Darren raised an eyebrow.

“But of course Dia.” He made a gesture towards a table by the wall. And we all moved over there.

“These are the books of our pack. They’re handed down from generation to generation and go as far back as there were wolves that could write. I am sure there are books like that in your pack too. I know for a fact that the council has a library filled with books like these from extinct packs and protocols to every judgment the council has ever executed.”

“That’s true Dia. I’m beginning to think that you have something in those books of yours that makes you think you or rather Thomas has a case?”

“There is! And not only one incident, but three.And I didn’t go all the way back.”

My mother earned an impressed look from Darren and he slowly opened the books where mom had marked them. “Then by all means let us have a look.”

Darren started to read and the level of concentration he put in was nothing short of impressive. He looked up at the other council members and motioned a finger to get them closer.

“Hmmm. Gentlemen it looks like young Thomas does have a case here. Interesting.”He looked up briefly, glancing at my mom before returning to the books, “Would you excuse us while we talk this over?” 

It was a polite question but none the less an order and we followed it without question. When we came out Trent was waiting for us. He hurried over to me and we hugged each other.

“Oh God, Tommy, I didn’t want to be here for this today but-”

“You had no choice. I know.”

“I’m so sorry if I fucked up anything.”

“Don’t. You didn’t.”

The door opened behind us and Darren said, “Thomas. Please come in, we have agreed on the matter at hand.” 

I walked in back into the room with my head held high. Darren looked at the two other members before returning his gaze to me.

“Thomas. The council has agreed that there are special circumstances in your case, that you were acting out of the wolf’s need to protect its mate. Furthermore, you seem to have all the support you need from your pack. We see no need to disown you or make an outcast out of you. You may go back as the heir to your pack and I look forward to seeing you as an alpha at the next full moon.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and heard mom and Mia do the same. The relief was palpable in the room. And pure happiness bubbled in my chest.

My mother was the first to speak. “Darren I actually wanted to speak to you about that. Is there any chance Tommy can stay my beta for a little while longer? I think it would serve my pack well if that could be arranged.”

“Thomas is about to turn twenty-five; it is by that age he is required to take over, I am sure you need him to do so too.”

“But I think it would be a good thing for Tommy to settle in a bit with his mate before he has to adjust to taking over as alpha as well.”

Darren’s face turned hard and there was no doubt that our supreme ruler’s patience was at its end. “All good leaders know how to juggle several balls. I have no doubt Thomas can handle the task. I know you have great faith in him too, so I can assume that is not why you're asking this. Tommy becomes alpha by the next full moon as planned, be satisfied that he still can.”

“Three months is all I ask.”

“No, my answer is final Dia. You may all be excused.” 

I put an arm around mom’s waist and started to guide her to the door before she did something stupid like growling her frustration out. I looked at Darren one last time and said, “Thank you for taking the time for us.”

“It is what we’re here for. Now go. I’m sure Adam awaits your return.”

I flashed him a smile and walked out feeling like I could conquer the world.


	8. 8

Going home was a lot better than the other way around and this time Trent was with us. That felt good too.It was nice just being in the same orbit, to share something again. We didn’t talk about anything serious, mostly just spent the time catching up.

I sensed Adam's presence even before we turned down our driveway.The longing for him that had been itching underneath my skin all day flamed and made my skin burn and my heart ache. My wolf wanted to run to him and roll around in his scent just to show off the claim on him.It was pretty obvious that I was doing a poor job disguising my own scents and keeping my longing subtle judging by the expressions on mom, Mia, and Trent. It pained me when Trent became quiet and stopped chatting to stare out the window of the car instead.

When we finally returned home Adam was standing in the driveway waiting. It looked like he had been there for quite some time so clearly I wasn’t the only one who'd been missing the hell out of his mate. I’m not gonna lie, that was a pretty awesome feeling.

“Tommy!” Adam cried out in relief when I got out of the car and ran to him. I threw my arms around his neck and he spun me around holding me so tight that my ribs hurt. He'd picked me up so my feet weren't even touching the ground, they were kinda just dangling as he kept rocking my body with his in an over exaggerated ‘oh my god I missed you’ gesture. Had I been able to get the leverage to get my legs around his waist I would have done it, clinging to him like a god damn monkey. But I couldn't so instead I let the wolf take over and rubbed my face against his neck and face getting lost in his scent.This, this was home. It felt so fucking good.

“Hi. You can put me down now.” I laughed into the crook of his neck but not releasing my own grip on him. He just squeezed me tighter and chuckled. 

“Nope, I’m enjoying myself.” But then he became serious and released his hold on me enough to let me get my feet back on the ground. He pulled back to look at me, his hands on my hips, keeping me close. 

“God I missed you and you were gone for like what? Half a day! How did it go?”

I kissed him softly on the lips and smiled at him while playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. Telling him the same just not in words. It felt so good to be near him, to be touching. Adam raised an impatient eyebrow in question and I smiled even wider. 

“It went well.We got most of what we wanted.”

I sensed the others behind us and it became obvious when Adam tensed that he had seen Trent. _Fuck!_

“What?”Disbelief colored his voice and he narrowed his eyes while looking at Trent. “Was Trent with you?And you didn’t tell me?” He focused on me and I pulled him a bit closer with my hand on his neck. I wanted to close the door on the world and just let him see me for a while and even though I greatly appreciated his possessiveness, I wanted him to focus on me and not on Trent.

“No.I mean yeah but not with us. Can we?” I pointed to the forest, “Can we take a walk and talk?”

Adam nodded and took a step backwards while taking hold of my hand, entwining our fingers in a firm grip.

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

We started walking toward the woods and as if pulled in that direction we found ourselves making our way to our place in the glade through some unspoken agreement. The silence between us was comfortable and I found myself relaxing for the first time the entire day. The stress just slowly seeped from my bones and the wolf was content for the first time since I'd left Adam at the crack of dawn.

Walking into the clearing Adam quietly asked, “So?”

I glanced at him quickly and guided him to our spot, where I sat down on the ground. Adam followed and I cuddled close against his side.He put an arm around me and I started speaking, “My actions regarding you were found acceptable by the council, but Trent was called in by Darren. I guess he needed some sort of proof that the whole pack really did welcome you and he had already figured out that the one least likely to do so was Trent.”

Adam was quiet and I had to wonder if he was urging me to go on or being careful about choosing his words. I waited for his reaction. “So I guess he told Darren that he did?”

“Yeah, but that didn’t exactly satisfy Darren so he asked if Trent would fight to save you, you know if there was a reason and your safety was threatened.”

“Uhm, why? I mean as a test?”

I smiled thinking about the fierce look on Trent’s face when he reminded Darren about what it means to be in a pack.“I don’t know.But yeah my gut tells me that he is out to make his pack larger or stronger and he's got WAY too much interest in you. It worries me a little, I can’t say why though, it just does. But yes, Trent said he would fight for you because that’s what pack-members do.”

Adam caught my gaze and he looked a little bit taken aback by that thought and I realized that he literally didn’t think Trent would ever support him in anything. “Really? Wow. And why would Darren want to do that?”

It didn't surprise me in the least that Adam just went right to the root of it. I took my time answering because the question puzzled me too. “Because he’s ambitious and his power would increase if he did. Both our pack and Mia's pack are large and I think he’s actually very pleased with the fact that Mia and I aren’t mating.But he would be even happier if I had been out of the picture completely.” I took a deep breath before continuing, 

“He even told Mia to watch her back because she was a little more vulnerable now. She of course, told him that she was tough enough to hold her own. Perhaps that was stupid but she made me so proud.”

Adam kissed me on the hair and nuzzled into it with his nose, his warm breath tickled and a shiver of pure pleasure ran along my spine. “Hmm.Yeah, I can imagine.So what about the alpha thing?Was that okay with the council too?”

“No.I don’t know why though. He just wouldn’t hear of it. I think it has something to do with you, I just can’t see why. You’re not a wolf and you shouldn’t be important to him in any way. Never mind, I become alpha next full moon, which is in five days, God, time flies.”

“Will we mate then too?I know Mia and you were supposed to and how does that even work?Since it obviously isn’t a sexual thing.”

I looked up at him and he winked at me sassily and I felt an embarrassing blush creep up my neck and spread to my cheeks as my head swarmed of images of Adam taking me apart in his arms. The scent coming from Adam changed too and I knew he was thinking the same as me. Led by that scent I ran my nose along his jawline and nibbled on his earlobe reveling in the slow arousal I smelled on him.

“We can do the mating whenever you want Adam because we’re destined mates.” I whispered into his ear. The arm I had around his middle found its way up his chest and around his neck and into his hair. I shifted around so that I could straddle his hips, getting as close to him as our clothes would allow. I kissed his cheek and his hands found their way under my jacket setting fire to my skin. I kept peppering kisses all over his face while whispering to him.

“The pack welcomed you, and that’s all the acknowledgement from them we need.”I finally reached his lips and we kissed for a long time, just slow and thorough wet slides of tongues and lips, making us both gasp for breath when the kiss came to a natural end. We put our foreheads together and when I found my breath again I leaned back a little making Adam carry my weight.

“Had it been Mia and I then it would have been very much like a wedding, with vows and the pack as witnesses. But the main event would be the part where I would claim her and the other way around by biting and marking each other here.” I ran a finger along his throat and Adam’s breath hitched.

“That way our blood would get mixed and we would forever be bound together by that. Our scents would mingle and it would be obvious to the wolf community that we belong together.”

“Hmmm. So are you telling me I don’t get to marry you then?”

He sounded thoughtful and a little disappointed. The combination of that messed with me. I didn’t quite know what to think of it because to me, being a were, the mating was the ‘wedding thing’ there was no other more powerful way to commit to each other.

“You want to? Marry me? In the human concept of it?”

“Why not? I want to scream it from a mountain top that you’re mine. I want the world to know.”

“Oh.”

“Say you’ll let me? It doesn’t have to be right away, just someday.”

I didn’t have to think about that, if this was something he wanted then it would be like the smallest thing to give him. The easiest thing because he already had me. Hell, he wasn’t ever going to get rid of me.“Yes, Adam, of course.”

He exhaled and let out a breathless ‘thank you’ that I honestly didn’t understand.I had to remind myself that until a week ago he wouldn’t have considered mating with anyone and the biggest statement of love he could think of had been marriage.

Adam caught my lips in a tender almost chaste kiss before looking me in the eye with nothing but pure contentment and love.

“Now about our mating.” He said. “And I want that to happen as soon as possible, if it isn’t like it would be with Mia then how is it going to be?”

“Since you’re all human, then you can’t claim me, but I’ll claim you the same way by biting your neck and licking the wound to close it again. Do you remember that day in the forest? When you were healed and stopped drinking? I closed my wrist that way?”

“Of course I do.”

“When I claim you, by biting you and closing the wound with my tongue, then you’ll never be able to wash my scent off of you. It will be in your blood like it’ll be in mine.Stronger on you though because you’re human and unfortunately your scent won’t be as strong on me but it will still be there.”

“Huh?How is it that you’ll smell like me when I don’t get to claim you??”

“My body absorbs your blood when I lick your wounds to heal them because we’re meant to be mates. Mixing blood is always a way to link a wolf to another or to a human. Um, I could have saved your life that day without ever asking you, had I bit you. The thing is though, that is a very bad idea when you don’t know anything about the other, because a bond will always be there, you can’t undo it. That’s why I was so careful that day and only offered you my blood. I don’t know if I would have bit you if you hadn’t taken the blood when offered, I probably would have. I don’t think my wolf would have let you die no matter what, he knew you way before me.”

“I’m glad he did.”

“Yeah, he’s smart like that.”

“Yup. Hmmm so you’re saying no ceremony. And no hot sex to seal the deal. And I don’t get to bite and claim you because I’m not a wolf yet and you’ll not carry my scent as strong as I’ll wear yours. That’s actually a little disappointing.”

I laughed into the crook of his neck. “We can do the ceremony if you want to. But wouldn’t you rather wait? And give it enough time so your family and friends will understand and then do the whole wedding thingy? And who said there couldn‘t be sex to seal the deal??”

“Yeah, I think I would like an actual wedding instead. I mean if we don’t need the ceremony when we mate then yeah that’s probably the best idea. And _really_?”

He smirked and his entire body langue oozed sex.I grinned basking in the pure want radiating from him. “Totally.”

His hands moved from my back down to my ass and pulled me even closer. But the smirk faded and made room for a more serious expression. “I felt like I was going to die today, it was terrible to be away from you and not be able to take care of you," he paused, "or keep you safe from harm.”

I sighed heavily. It seemed that Adam didn’t realize that I was actually designed to fight, to protect and to take charge. I never wanted the responsibility I was about to own. I never wanted to be an alpha, but none the less that’s what I was born to. I always resented the fact that the other wolves would submit to me without ever questioning if I was right or not and that’s why Mia and I began dreaming of guiding our packs into democracy even more than the way my mother was leading our pack at the moment. We wanted a pack where the leader took all wolves thoughts into consideration before making choices that would affect the whole pack. 

“You do know that’s my job right? Taking care of you? Maybe we should just agree on looking out for each other.”

“I don’t care that you think it’s your job. When I become wolf, I'll be the one taking care of you. That’s who I am Tommy. I’ll always be a caretaker.”

Briefly I wondered why my wolf didn’t object to that statement and instead it wanted to cuddle closer. But then the ‘I wanna be a wolf thing’ became much more important to me because it wasn’t the first time he said that and last time I didn’t get a chance to dig deeper.“You keep saying that, ‘when I become wolf’, I don't remember saying I would change you, and just so we’re clear? I won’t.”

Shock appeared on Adam's face. “Why? I want to share everything with you; I want to be a part of everything that is you, as your mate. I would think that’s pretty natural. And I want my claim on you to be the same as yours is on me. I want my scent to be just as strong. I want it all Tommy.”

“Um,” I wanted to tell him all the things there were hard to deal with as a wolf but I got completely side tracked by the sound of Mia’s soft voice traveling on the wind to me. It took me a second to recognize the footsteps with her as Mike's, mainly because I didn’t expect him to be with her. Plus, she sounded a bit odd, almost like she was purring. 

“What?” Adam’s impatient but very curious voice tore me out of my musings. 

“We got company.” I whispered.

“Company?” Adam was whispering too and I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. I observed the edge of the forest for a brief moment before I spotted them.

"Hi guys!” I yelled across the clearing.Mike was holding Mia’s hand, their fingers were entwined and I suddenly realized what it was that I heard in her voice a minute ago.She was being seductive. My heart swelled and a feeling of relief ran through me. They would be so good together. 

“Hi Tommy and Adam.” Mia tried to release her hand from Mike’s when they walked towards us but Mike wouldn’t let her.I frowned a little bit, why would Mia hide her affections?

“Don’t. He’ll be happy for us, won’t you Tommy?” Mike asked raising an eyebrow, prompting me to answer, as they walked closer.I understood that Mia was worried that I wouldn't acknowledge her right to find love. That hurt me more that I’ll ever be able to express.

“Two of my best friends finding love? Nothing would warm my heart more.” 

I got off Adam and stood up, and Adam followed. When Mia and Mike had crossed the clearing and joined us, I hugged Mia tight for a moment before asking her, “Baby how could you even think I wouldn’t support this? Your happiness will always be important to me.”

I got a careful smile in return, “It just takes a little getting used to, and, uhm," she blushed."Showing affections like this, well, I guess it's a little intimidating.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” I glanced at Adam just to make sure he didn’t misinterpret that and luckily he didn’t because he winked at me and my stupid heart skipped a beat. I didn’t want to embarrass myself so I turned my attention back to Mike.

“So you finally wormed you way into her heart? Dog! I’m happy for you. Just be good to her.” 

Mike grinned and nodded. But I could see that he had something on his mind and instinctively knew that it had nothing to do with Mia and everything to do with me and Adam. The searching looks he gave us was giving it away.

“What’s on your mind dude?”

“I was just thinking, I, well we, heard what you two were talking about….”

“Hmm, the wolf-thing?Or the wedding thing?” I asked. Adam made a little noise of joy and put an arm around my shoulder and I leaned into the warmth of him. Mia’s high pitched voice almost made me jump though.

“Wedding?You’re getting married? Oh my god Tommy! I’m so happy for you two.”

I snickered. “Guess it wasn’t the wedding then. And yes but not right now. Right Adam?” I looked up at him and his smile, bright and forceful, almost stole my words. We shared a look and without taking his eyes from me Adam answered Mia. “I don’t know when Mia, we didn’t get to finish our talk.”

Mike interjected and broke the moment I was sharing with Adam. “The wolf change thing yeah. I think you should change him. I think it would make things much easier and I think Adam might be the solution to joining our packs.”

That felt like a punch to the stomach, why the hell would he say something like that?“What? And WHY?”

“He’ll be good for you, for us as a wolf. He’s strong not to mention strong willed too. And he wants it. I think you should.”

“No. I just \- how can you even?I love my life, you know that. But being a wolf is not something you play with. We’re limited in so many ways. Adam shouldn’t ever wish for our life. And what the hell do you mean by the solution to joining our packs??”

Mike cringed and I realized I'd just raised my voice and that the wolf had claimed a place in the conversation because even Mia seemed to duck a bit. 

“Just think about it Tommy. I think it is important and you know you can trust me.” 

There was a plea in there that really pushed my buttons. I did trust Mike, but this wasn’t a subject I was ready to let slide just because he asked me to.I needed more than that.Taking a slow deep breath in an attempt to regain my calm frame of mind, I was relieved when Adam seemed to know exactly what I needed and ran his hands along my arm and took my hand. “Jesus. No and I’m not going to discuss it further.”

“I want you to claim me before full moon and after that you and I are going to talk about me becoming a wolf again.” Adam whispered to me. 

The way he said it was loving, firm, and brooked no argument. I was so fucking confused. Why was it that when the others tried to push me in one direction my wolf growled and demanded to be heard and respected; but when Adam said something like this I melted against him and the wolf wanted to show his belly and the only demand coming from it was one of love and attention? Damn it.

“Adam -” I tried but it was kind of a weak attempt. “I’m trying to look after your interests here.”

He kissed the shell of my ear and pure lust spiked through me adding to my confusion. Sex should be the last thing on my mind right now. I needed to get out on my own, sort my head out and connect properly with my wolf again. 

“I know,” Adam said softly. “But let me worry about that myself. You focus on our mating in the very near future.Oooh I got an idea,” sex had snuck into his voice and my dick dutifully took notice. 

“Yeah?” Mike said. 

Obviously he'd picked up on the arousal in the air, because he had a teasing look in his eyes. Adam saw it and with a smirk, he ran a possessive hand down my arm until it rested on my hipbone.He glanced over a Mike and winked at him. “Not one I want to tell you about.”

Then he made a damn show out of asking me if we could go home, to _his_ place because privacy was of utmost importance. I swallowed and went from half hard to ‘take me right here who cares who's watching’ in two seconds. Don’t ask me how we got home or what Mike or Mia said before we left, I wouldn’t fucking know. All I saw and sensed was Adam, all Adam.

**

Adam lifted me up and into his arms right after closing the front door behind us I most certainly did not squeal like a girl. “Shit!Adam, put me down.Not a fucking girl.” 

He just held me tighter as he walked down the hallway in a direction I assumed was leading directly to the bedroom. I wasn’t disappointed when he shoved a door open with his toes and a king sized bed came into view. He dropped me on the bed and I landed with a huff. Adam followed me and covered my body with his own. I bucked up against him, letting my hands follow his strong back down to the curve of his ass.

“Well, you’re my bitch.” Adam laughed dark and predatory. 

He pushed back up on his hands to stare at me. I had been hard since we left the damn clearing and was growing more desperate by the second and then he says something like that! I waited for a split second for my wolf to snarl and kill the mood completely but instead a shiver ran through me and my fucking traitorous voice trembled when I tried to taunt him. “Yeah?You think so?” 

Adam took a hold of my throat, his fingers holding me firmly where he wanted me. The sound that escaped from my throat was most definitely not a whimper. He tipped my head and I let myself be guided into a hard and possessive kiss.Adam's lips were eager against mine, his tongue pushing hard into my mouth. I felt owned in the best way possible; my heart pounding so hard I thought it might bruise my chest. And yet I gave up any control and let him wipe me off my feet completely.

Adam pulled back just far enough so he could speak; his voice was soft and firm. “Know so.” 

I fucking wanted to bare my throat to give it all up for him. So yeah, Adam’s bitch would be the right term.

“I want it to be now.” He said, locking our gazes together. There was a desperation in his voice that matched the desperation I felt except I had no fucking clue what he was talking about. 

“What?” 

For the first time I saw insecurity in his eyes and his possessive hold on my throat loosened. I instantly brought up a hand and caressed his face lovingly, urging him to go on.

“I want you to claim me tonight. I want us to mate Tommy; you said we could do it whenever right?We don’t need the moon to be full or anything do we?”

I shook my head and stared into his big blue eyes and realized that he was scared of rejection despite of our talk earlier.

“You’re serious? You know we have all the time in the world right?” 

He surged down and caught my lips in a kiss so desperate that it wrecked me. When the kiss ended we were both panting and I had my legs hooked around him in an attempt to get enough leverage to rub up against him in earnest. I needed to get off so bad but Adam looked more determined than insecure now, so I guessed we were going to be talking first. My heart skipped a beat or two thinking about what might just happen here tonight. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything so damn much in my entire life.

“I’m serious. I want the wolves to know you belong to me. I want Trent to know.”

I went still and searched his eyes and compared what I saw to his scent. I didn’t want this to be about Trent or ownership or anything connected to jealousy. If we were gonna do this it had to be about us. Adam's gaze was open, letting me see what I needed and all I saw was love and the same need I knew was in mine.

“He already does.” I assured him quietly. “We can wait, there’s no rush.”

Adam sighed and began to push off me. “I want it Tommy!Don’t yo-”

I stopped him with a finger to his lips and held on to him with my other hand so he couldn’t pull away from me.“Yes. I. Do. So much it is killing me; I’m just trying not to force things. To give you an out?”

His eyes widened and he settled back in my embrace and took my lips in a deep and slow kiss. His warm breath ghosted over my lips when he whispered to me.“Don’t. I don’t need it, don’t want it. Let’s do this.”

We looked at each other for a long moment and I nodded slowly, not quite able to wrap my head around it. This was really happening he would be mine and mine alone. Tonight!

Adam pulled off his shirt and began working on getting mine off too. I helped him eager to feel his skin against mine. We kept undressing each other until we were naked and Adam pushed me back onto the mattress again. I got lost looking at the perfection he was to me and he rewarded me with a smirk.

“See something you like Tommy Joe?”

I shook my head, “No, I see someone I love.” 

The smirk disappeared and made room for a soft and tender smile that made me want to bask in his love forever.

“You little shit, you just had to mess with me didn’t you?” his voice was hoarse and so emotional that I wanted to wrap him in my love and keep him safe for an eternity. 

He crawled back in between my legs. I let my fingers dig into his shoulders before scratching their way down his back, trailing along the soft flesh of his lower back before continuing lower. He was sighing softly without that urgency that had been present earlier. I guess we'd both cooled down as we talked but the small noises he made grew into groans, and damn it if I didn't want to do my best to pull more of those noises from him.

He kissed his way down my jaw and I bared my neck to him as if he was the one claiming me tonight. Adam sucked up a mark before soothing my skin with his tongue. The fire returned full force and I melted under him going completely pliant. 

“So beautiful for me,” he whispered between kisses.

Adam‘s hips thrusted against mine and his strong thighs flexed between my legs making me spread them wantonly. His hands skated over my belly, past my hips and further down the front of my thighs, carefully avoiding my throbbing cock. Our breaths were starting to become shallow when Adam reached across the bed and found a tube of lube in the drawer of the bedside table.He opened the cap and squeezed a generous amount of lube onto his fingers. Warming it up a little in his hands, he kissed me softly before slipping between my legs to circle around my hole. 

Two fingers found their way inside, quick and easy. I let my head fall back and moaned, my back arching as Adam's fingers twisted inside me, preparing me. Before I could catch my breath, Adam's fingers were gone, and I let him manhandle me into the position he wanted, lifted up by his strong hands. With my legs around his waist, Adam's cock slid into me easily, and I surged upwards to kiss him open mouthed and needy, my hands roaming his chest.We moved together slowly, rocking back and forth.

“Mine.” Adam whispered, staring into my eyes. 

“Yours.” I whispered back. 

His eyes went even darker. He bent down and cupped my face with his hands and kissed me deeply until I was dizzy with it.

“Make me yours; claim me while I’m buried deep inside you.” 

It wasn’t a plea, not at all, it was a quiet demand and my wolf begged to do as told.

I whimpered and let the wolf surge forward enough to let my canine teeth to appear. The wolf didn’t even fight to get out, it was so content and happy when Adam turned his head to bare his throat. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.I licked the tendon stretched in front of me and sniffed him, reveling in the scent that was pure Adam and the nervous pulse working just under his skin.

“Come on, don’t tease me.”He cried out. 

I closed my eyes and let instinct take over.My teeth broke his skin and sunk into his soft flesh.Adam pushed down against me, his back arching. I felt his arousal and devastating need only this time it seemed even more intense because of the link being created by our blood.

I felt nothing but him. Instantly my blood heated and boiled under my skin, I felt the magic of our mating take over and start to bind our bodies and souls together. I realized I had never really known what home was before.

“Hurts…..hurts so good. Oh God Tommy.”

Adam moaned and one of his hands curled around my neck and tightened, his fingers digging into my skin. Adam's body was trapping my cock between our sweat slicked bodies as he sped up his movements.I licked the wound and let it close, leaving only red and swollen scars. I could feel that Adam was close; his soft moans had turned into deep groans, his hips snapping up against my ass, hard and needy.

My own orgasm hit and sent me tumbling over the edge. I came hard, but not fast at all, spilling out my seed, making a hot, wet mess between our bodies. Adam followed seconds later fucking us both through it with lazy thrusts before collapsing on me.

“Can’t move, wanna stay here forever.”He mumbled against my neck. 

I let out an approving sound and stared at the marks on his neck in awe letting my fingers trail over the pattern of my teeth.He was really mine now, nobody or anything could ever take that away from us. 

“You’re loving that aren’t you? Seeing your claim on me?”

Too emotional to actually be able to use my voice I just nodded.“I love that it's there.” Was whispered back at me.

He rolled off me and I curled up against him. For a while we just laid there exchanging small caresses and lazy but thorough kisses, basking in our love and our afterglow.

I was almost asleep when Adam began to speak, his voice soft and filled with awe.

“I can feel you,” Adam put his hand on my heart. “In here! Such a strange feeling but I already love it. You really are a part of me now.”

“Yeah I know.” I whispered softly and put a hand over his heart too.

“And I think I can….”

“What?”

“I think… nothing…. you’ll think I’m silly.” He sighed heavily and shook his head.

“No I won’t.”

“I think my senses - I think maybe you passed on some of your wolf senses to me.I, Um, I can smell you on me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah and I don’t mean, you know, the sex. But _you_. And I swear I can _feel_? Or maybe _hear_?Your heartbeat without touching you.”

“I like that. I like that very much.” I pressed a soft kiss to his chest and ran my fingers through the soft hair there.

“Me too.”


	9. 9

I woke up the next morning with the new feeling of our mating throbbing in my veins. The knowledge of being loved and owned in that way made a slow satisfied smile spread across my face as I felt Adam’s eyes on me. I blinked and cringed a little when the sun hurt my eyes. Adam trailed a finger from my forehead down my cheek and over my lips in a feathery light touch and I let out a little happy and content sigh.Adam echoed it.

“I knew you were waking up before you even stirred.I wonder if it is only this close I can feel things like that.”

I snuggled a little closer, letting the warmth of Adam’s body wrap around me. I looked up into his eyes and he brushed the hair that fell into my eyes out of the way.

“I don’t know….. I didn’t expect this.” I said softly.

“You didn’t know this would happen?”

“No. I told you that a mating between a human and a Were doesn’t happen that often. And you and I aren’t exactly text book material are we?” 

I wondered why Adam was feeling the way he did and though maybe I might have started a wolf change in him unknowingly. Adam ended my train of thoughts, when he tilted my face up a bit and pressed a soft lingering kiss to my forehead.

“How far away can you feel me?” he asked.

“Now? I don’t know…but before?..... Um, I felt your presence before our driveway.”

He looked surprised and I had to remind myself that there were so many things we hadn’t had the time to talk about yet. We had only known each other a little over a week even though it felt like we'd loved each other forever.

“That’s pretty awesome. I hope I get to feel the same way soon; I love the idea of that.” I heard the quiet demand in that statement, and I had to fight my wolf to ignore it. I won that round.

“Yeah it is pretty rad, until you can’t keep your feelings to yourself and everyone else can smell your emotions on you and read you like an open book.”

My thoughts wandered to Trent and the way he stared out the window trying to block out my longing for Adam when I couldn’t contain it.

Adam snorted. “You do know they just have to look at your face right? You can’t hide your feelings even when you try. Your eyes betray you every time. Even as a wolf. You rolled your eyes at me in the clearing for Christ's sake even though I’m pretty sure you wanted me to think you didn’t understand me. And right now you’re thinking that you would love to shield your feelings so that you won't hurt Trent so much.”

I groaned and hid my face for a minute before gazing up at him again. “Shut up. You’re good at it though.I’m very lucky that I can smell your feelings on you.”

“Yeah? So what am I feeling right now?” He raised a brow daringly and I chuckled.

“You were a little annoyed that I thought about Trent but decided that it wasn’t important. Which means you’re happy, peaceful even, lazy as fuck and slightly aroused because I’m this close.” I wiggled a little pulling an appreciative sound from him.But you’re also hungry so I think we better get our asses out of bed and get some breakfast.”

“Wow. All that from the way I smell?” He looked at me in awe and I had to get out of the bed, breakfast was much needed after our mating and he really was hungry.I stretched out a hand for him when I got on my feet and smiled wickedly at him.

“Nope.You can never rely on just one sense.Come on big boy, let's go see what’s in that kitchen of yours.”

Adam took my outstretched hand and tugged me into bed again and kissed me deeply before letting go and a new much more raw hunger demanded attention.

“You’re going to be so disappointed.Not much wolf food there, not one single bacon slice in sight. Better stay here.” He mumbled between kisses. And we did, damn the hold he’s got on me.

**

Adam and I finally found our way out of the bedroom and ordered food form one of the café’s in the area.The food was good but the company was perfect. We were cleaning up the kitchen when my phone rang.Adam glanced at me and asked if I wanted some privacy. I shook my head answering the phone. “Hey Mia. What’s up?” 

“Sasha came back from the woods this morning. I guess Darren meant business when he said that I should look out.” She sounded dead serious and fear instantly pooled in my stomach.

“What?! Is she okay? Are you getting threats?”

My voice was high pitched and Adam stopped putting the dishes in the washer and looked at me worriedly.

“She is fine, just a little pissed.”Mia said and inhaled sharply. 

I held up a hand to show Adam that things were okay and he smiled a little smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Mia continued and I concentrated on her words instead of Adam.

“Not yet, but we’re being watched. So it is just a matter of time before it becomes real. God I’m fuming right now. How dare he?””

“Easy sweetie. We’ll figure it out together. I’ll come home now.”

“Home? Where are you?”

“Adam’s house.” I heard the love shine through in my own voice and I wondered if Mia would tease me mercilessly.

“Still?” Her tone made me blush deeply and I wandered into Adam’s living room and flopped down on his couch. I ran my hand over my eyes and up through my hair. I thought about the night before and I desperately wanted to share the news with Mia. But on the other hand it was so personal and beautiful that I didn’t want to reveal just how we mated.

“Yeah, um we kinda, nevermind you’ll find out when I get home.” I mumbled half embarrassed half proud out of my fucking mind.

“Shit, you mated didn’t you?” She asked in a pondering tone and I could just imagine the frown on her face.

“Yeah, yeah, we did.”

“Aww Tommy. I’m happy for you but your mom is going to be so pissed at you.” She laughed.

“Why? It’s not like it was unexpected.”

“You cheated her out of a ceremony. She’s your mom Tommy! Duh!”

“Oh. She’ll get a wedding instead at some point.” I snickered and I swear I could hear her shake her head in that ‘boys suck’ way that was so typical for her.

“So how does it feel?” she asked and I picked at some imaginary lint on my t-shirt, taking my time before answering.

“It’s not that easy to put into words. I feel him all the time in my heart, my soul. You know the wolf way?But so much stronger, and I know every emotion in him without having to rely on my senses. I just know."

“Is it what you thought it would be?”

“No not at all, it is so much better. He is my world Mia. I mean before Adam everything was about the pack, but now, the pack, even my life wouldn’t matter without him. It's scary and it’s wonderful.”

“And Adam? How does this make him feel? I hope he's not too overwhelmed by this?”

“Adam is happy, very happy, bubbly happy. He says he can feel me the same way. That he thinks I passed on some wolf senses to him. At first it just made me all gooey and happy but I woke up to him staring at me and telling me that he knew I would wake up before I even stirred. How the actual fuck is that possible when I haven’t changed him?”

“Hmm.”

I shot a glance at the door between the kitchen and the living room and lowered my voice a little. I wasn’t trying to keep things secret from Adam, but I didn’t need to motivate his wishes on becoming a wolf. He had plenty of those on his own. And I needed Mia’s thoughts on what’s been tumbling around in my head for hours.

“Yeah but it got me thinking. He already had my blood in him from the day we saved him from the bear, and I claimed him last night. I _bit_ him and my body took what it needed from his blood to connect us physically and mentally. We _mated_ Mia.”

“Yeah?” I could hear in her voice that she wasn't connecting the dots yet and it made me doubt the validity of what I was thinking.

“I think," I paused, swallowing hard. "I think I might have started a wolf change in him.”

Mia was quiet for a long time and I could hear her pacing the floor and I smiled a little when I visualized her pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers.Adam does the exact same thing, it’s adorable.

“Can you sense a wolf in him?”

“No, but we haven’t mixed blood yet. He has mine in him and the other way around. But I didn’t bleed last night. I have a feeling I betterbe very careful not to get our blood mixed by accident now. I really believe that if we do then he’ll change.”

“I think you’re right about that. Well actually I don’t think you’ll have to mix blood. I think it’ll be enough if he gets anymore of yours. You seriously don’t want that?” She made a good point, my blood could very easily be enough. Damn it.

“Mia.” I sighed, she should understand my reluctance. She came from the same beliefs about our lives as wolves as I did.

“Yeah, okay, I know why you feel that way.”

“Thank you. We’ll come home now, is Mike there?”

She didn’t answer right away which led me to believe that he was there but she didn’t want to share him with me. The knowledge made my heart swell. Damn my chest didn’t feel big enough.

“Yes he is, why?” suspicion had snuck into her voice and I winched a bit. 

“I think I need to talk to him when we get there. He needs to tell me what the hell it is he keeps thinking I’ll figure out on my own. If Darren is on the warpath then it isn’t the time for mind games, so Mike just has to fess up.

“Fuck Tommy. It is not that hard.” She groaned and I felt slightly embarrassed that I hadn’t figured it out yet.

“No? Because it sure puzzles me.”

“Okay here's a clue Einstein. Does your wolf want to argue with Adam or please him? Is your wolf submitting or not? And when you’re done thinking about that, then think a little about why it is that Mike believes he’ll be a good wolf. I know this is going to hit you hard, but I do not want you to take it out on my boyfriend Tommy.”

I let her words wash over me and I understood everything so clearly that it freaked me out that I hadn’t seen it before. It all made sense to me now. Why my wolf wanted to please and ease Adam. Why it didn’t snarl and growl when I felt like it should bare its teeth. Adam was alpha all the way through, and he was so strong as a human that my wolf instinctively recognized him as superior. I let out a strangled throaty noise and my head was a mess. How the fuck did I miss that? And why would my mate, the one created for me, be stronger than me? A born alpha. It made absolutely no sense. I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to say to Mia.

“Um, okay, yeah, I got it.We’ll be back soon.”

She sighed a little and her voice was filled with such patience that I wanted to kick her ass into the next century. “Take your time baby, no real rush yet.Get your shit straightened out before you get here. Okay? I love you, Tommy.”

“Yeah okay. I love you too.” I thumbed the phone call off and for a while I just sat there staring into nothingness. Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck. This was all kinds of bad. If Adam really wanted to change he would be able to manipulate me into it. He just had to keep asking for it because I wouldn’t be able to deny him anything in the long run. And if he did he turn wolf, then we would have to fight for dominance because there's no room in one pack for two strong headed alphas unless they're mated as alphas, like Mia and I was intended to. Damn it. I needed some time to myself, to figure this out.

But as things went down I didn’t get any. A minute later Adam was looking at me from the doorframe he was leaning against. He seemed concerned and he pushed off the doorframe when we locked eyes. He went over and knelt down in front of me, cradling my face, caressing me softly. “You’re worried about Mia.” 

I was a bit relieved that he jumped to that conclusion right away, and yeah I was worried about Mia, a lot actually, but right then I was mostly worried about us and where the hell we would end up as mates if we had to fight for dominance. It scared the hell out of me.

“Yeah. Darren weren’t kidding, not that I thought he would be, but shit just got real.”

“Let’s go then.” He stood up and held out a hand, ready to haul my ass off the couch and run head first into a fight. Again I got hit with my own naivety, how did I not see his alpha traits? I shook my head in rejection.

“Um, no. I think I need - ”

Adam tilted his head and gave me an inquisitive look, one that made me feel like he wanted to open my head up and look inside to figure me out.

“What Tommy?” he asked and despite the way he looked at me his voice was just as patient as Mia’s had been and it pissed me off. I felt like I was being treated like a child.

“Nothing. Time, I need some time to myself!” Harsh words and Adam blinked in confusion but then a determined glint sparked in his eyes and I knew I had to watch it or I would be digging my own grave.

“Why? Tell me! I want to help.” The tone in his voice was soft and encouraging but underneath it was steel and my wolf responded to it immediately. 

“Fuck.” I put my head in my hands, hiding, more from myself than him to be honest. 

“Tommy.” I fought the ‘look at me’ demand in his voice and lost, I raised my head and he caught my gaze in his. 

“Why didn’t I see this before? How fucking blind am I? Not to mention naïve.Jesus.” I mumbled to myself.

“What are you talking about?”

We looked at each other for a long time both searching the other's eyes but for very different reasons.

“Why do you want to become a wolf Adam?” I asked quietly. 

He narrowed his eyes, clearly wondering where I was going with this. “I told you, I want to take care of you, to protect you and I want to share every aspect of your life. I want to be a wolf because I love you. It is that simple.”

I wanted to cry and my fucking wolf wanted to revel in the false safety his tone of voice promised. For once I didn’t trust my wolf and I fought him on this. There was nothing simple in that, nothing. 

“Yeah you told me. God.”

I could tell from the look on Adam's face that I was wearing his patience thin, stretching it to the breaking point. And damn it if I didn't want to test the waters and pull a little more just to see what I could get away with, not only from Adam but from my wolf too. Talk about playing with fire.

“Why is this a bad thing?” he was still standing tall above me.

It made me feel small and I resented that.

“Because being a wolf isn’t all that romantic. We live in a society hidden in the human civilization. We have to obey the human laws and the wolves’ laws too. We’re ruled by an old fashioned council that sees a female alpha as weak and tries to steal her pack to enlarge their own power base. We don’t have democracy, so if your alpha isn’t kind or listens to you then you’ll never know what it means to have your own opinions. Or worse you’ll never find the respect for your human traits that equality means for you or the wolf next to you. I’m not saying that wolves are slaves because they’re not, but they aren’t free either.Do you really want to give away your freedom??”

Adam inhaled deeply getting ready to defend his wishes but I didn’t give him the chance. This was my chance to get him to give up on the idea of life as a Were, to keep us safe and together.

“Not to mention that we’re kinda slaves to the moon. Once a month we have no choice in what we want to do with our time. How the hell would you work that into your dream of touring the world and singing your face off?This," I waved my hand around me, "my life, isn’t a fucking fairy-tale. I mean I love my wolf.He’s a part of me, I wouldn’t be without him, but I was born this way. This is what comes natural to me. And I don’t want to live like wolves. I want to change things. I fucking want Mia and her pack to feel safe!”

“But if I was a wolf I could help you.” He argued.

“Help me?” I snorted arrogantly. 

Adam shot me a hurt and confused look that made my stomach twist and my wolf snarl at me as he fought to take control.

“Yeah, we would be stronger together.” Adam started to walk around, the frustration rolling off him in waves and my wolf wanted nothing more than to please him.

“Together?” I mocked knowing that it was only a matter of time before I went too far and I really should be backing off. I didn’t though.

“Adam, I never wanted to be an alpha, but I accepted that it would be my place in life when the time comes. And no matter what my desires are, I want what is best for my pack. And that’s me! I know them, I love them. I respect them.” I emphasized my words with a rise of eyebrows in an attempt to get him to argue against that point.

“I know _that_.” 

“Then what makes you think it would be a good idea to change? To become a wolf?”

Adam stopped his pacing and threw his hands in the air. “Because I love you, because this is your life and I want to be here for you. I’m strong, Tommy, body and soul; I’ll manage in the wolf world too. Why don’t you have that faith in me?”

“Oh, I know you will, you’ll do more than manage. You’ll overrule me. You already make my wolf want to roll over and let you take control.”

He blinked and stared at me for a second before going back to me, he fell to his knees and took my hands into his, but there was nothing but alpha written all over his gesture.

“Maybe that’s not a bad thing. I like taking charge and I’m good at it.”

“And why wouldn’t that be a bad thing Adam? To me as an alpha?” 

He ran his thumbs over my pulse points, soothing me, my wolf calmed and stopped fighting me. I took advantage of the moment and prepared myself for the next time the wolf would want to show its belly to Adam.

“Because I stand for the same things as you. Because you basically doesn’t want to be alpha. Because I don't back down from a challenge. How many reasons do you need?”

“And I do?” I spat out. Making my wolf pissed right away again. It was getting harder and harder to ignore his begging for the right to just roll over and let Adam take what he so clearly wanted.

“Do you even remember me throwing myself into a fight with a bear to save your ass?” it was a punch way below the belt, I knew that, but damn it I had to make him see that we would be better off if he stayed human. And I had to do it before I lost the fight with my wolf. This was taking everything I had out of me.

“And you were magnificent baby! And you want everybody to feel good and be happy all the time and you go out of your way to make it happen. Damn it you even fight your urge to cuddle me when Trent is near even though I know it hurts you when you can’t touch me like that. I’m not saying you wouldn’t be an awesome beta. You are now.”

“Oh, that makes everything okay then. So when you go on tour at some point I can take care of them?” I was yelling now and I had to move around. The wolf was fighting me even harder than Adam and he clawed and growled at me, making me hurt. I guess it was only fair since I was probably causing him the same amount of pain. 

“Oh no! You’re going with me if I ever get to have that experience.That’s not up for debate; I can’t be that far apart from you. And maybe we could make some sort of deal with Mia’s pack. I don’t know so that when we’re away then Mia is the one looking after everybody.”

“I think that’s exactly what Mom and Mike are thinking. That you could handle both packs. They just don’t seem to understand that I want the best for you and that being a wolf isn’t it. You know nothing about being in a pack. You could die in a fight with another alpha. That alpha could even be me. I can’t let that happen. I won’t. I’ll fight you all the way on this.”

“And you couldn’t get hurt or die? Tommy, I want to be a wolf. I _need_ to be able to protect you, and please don’t think you’re the only wolf that could make it happen. ‘Cause you’re not!”

“You wouldn’t!” I was horrified. Ice cold terror raced through my veins, making me shake all over. Even my wolf agreed and was reacting the same way. Although, we were scared for different reasons. I knew if he really meant it, I'd never be able to stop it. The wolf in me was anxious because it desperately needed to be the one who was bound to Adam in every way. The idea of that kind of link to another wolf was breaking its heart.

“Fuck yes I would! Special bond aside and all I would. Especially if I thought I could keep you safe from harm.”

“So you would ask Mike to change you if I denied you.” I hissed. 

Adam looked at me unyielding and said, "I would even ask Trent if it came to that! But I would like it to be you, Tommy. I don’t want to have that bond with anyone else. Please don’t make me,” his voice had gone tender and pleading at the end but there was still that steel underneath it all, brooking no argument.

I felt defeated, I had fought myself into a corner and there was no way out of this. My wolf knew how close it was to getting his will that it was just a matter of time before it would be able to let Adam take what he wanted so much. It stopped fighting me and instead it nudged me in the direction it wanted. I still didn’t trust my wolf’s desires in this so I gave it one last try. If arguing didn’t work maybe begging would.

“Adam, please? Please don’t make me do this! Please don’t force me to put your life in danger. Because that might just be what happens, I think this is exactly why Darren took so much interest in you. If I let you change, he’ll go after you right away.”

Adam crossed the floor and pulled me into his arms. 

“Darren doesn’t scare me. But if you get hurt defending Mia or our own pack, fuck, Tommy, I can’t even say it! It would be the end of me.”

I closed my eyes because I couldn’t keep looking at him. It hurt too much, I was losing and I knew it. The thought of Adam as an alpha wolf forced by his nature to fight me for dominance and what that would do to us as mates. I swallowed hard. It meant I could lose him.

“I’m stronger than I seem and I’m smart about fighting. I’m not a fucking damsel in distress.”

“Baby, if this is what Mike and Dia seem to think could unite the packs, then why are you so against it? You gotta know by now it's going to happen no matter what you think of it.”

“Are you willing to fight me for the alpha position?”

“What?” he pulled back a little so he could see me properly. 

I sighed heavily and surrendered reluctantly.My wolf made me bare my neck to him and dared him to break the skin there. Giving it all up for him to take.

“If you really want this, fair enough. But know you’ll have to fight me and win to become the alpha. We’ve talked about this Adam. You can’t take over a pack without winning if from another alpha. Or mate your way to it the problem is that you’re already pack. You’ll have to challenge me to earn the title.”

He stared at me, at my neck and I saw the hunger in his eyes that must have mirrored how I looked the night before. He let a thumb brush over the bruise he made there when we mated and I gasped. My wolf longing for him to take what he desired. Adam tore his eyes from my neck and took a hold of my face with both hands and bumped our foreheads together.

“This isn’t about the title dumbass. It is all about _you_. And I do not want to fight you but- wait! Oh my God that’s it!”

“What?”

“Baby you’re not alpha yet. You’re beta to your mother. What if we do this now? What if you change me today while you’re still beta? I mean it would make sense if that’s why Darren wanted you to become alpha no matter what at the next full moon, you said it yourself. That he was too interested in me. He must have seen what Mike and your mom see. I think that you being beta at the moment is a huge stick in his wheel.Yeah that must be it. He's counting on us making it easy on him, well we’re not going to.”

“Adam I really-”

“Change me now baby and let’s make hell hot for him.”

Adam put a finger under my chin and pushed upwards until our eyes met; slow, so fucking slow he lowered his face until our lips met. He sucked on my lips and I grabbed the back of his t-shirt, curling my hands into fists, I opened up to him and he licked into my mouth and a small whimper escaped me. This was what we were made to do, not fighting each other. We kissed and made up, literally, re-connecting and it felt like heaven.

“Bed now.” Adam said when we had to come up for air. “We can do it there, it worked yesterday.” 

I tilted my head offering him my neck, driven totally by the wolf’s desire to please him. He kissed his way along the tendon up to my jawline. I pushed hard at my wolf, regaining some control as I stuttered, “Fuck. No, Adam.We need to talk to someone else about this.” 

“You know what they want.”

I pushed at him but there was no strength what so ever “Adam, please?”

“You don’t want me to take you to bed?”

“Yes, but not now.”

Adam laughed quietly but there was a dark edge to it that I couldn’t ignore any more than my wolf could. Heat pooled in my groin and he felt it, the wolf connection made it impossible to hide even if my growing erection wasn't making it obvious.

“Liar. I can feel it. You’re so turned on right now the air is full of your scent.” 

I shivered when Adam’s hands ran down my sides to linger on my hips. And he smirked. Turned on or not I wasn't about to give in so easily. “Maybe, but I’m not going to let my cock make my decisions for me.”

Adam raised an eyebrow and something primal gleamed in his blue eyes making them look darker. “Then I'll make them for you,” he growled and before I knew what he was doing he'd bent down and put his shoulder against my belly, hoisted me up and was striding across the room heading toward the stairs and eventually the bedroom.

“Adam, put me the fuck down.” I cried out.

“Nope.”

I squirmed in his grasp, kicking my legs and slapping his ass hard. He just flexed his muscles and the only thing I had to show for my effort was a stinging palm. He pushed the door to the bedroom open and held on to me as he bent down just enough to yank the bedspread off the bed.

“Stop being an idiot and put me down. This isn’t funny anymore.” I said breathlessly.

It wasn't a lie, there wasn't anything amusing about this, I was so turned on all I wanted has him touching me, no more games. 

Adam didn’t answer me, instead he shifted his weight and spread his legs to get his footing right before dropping me to the bed with a huff. He immediately went to work on my clothes and within minutes I was as naked as the day I was born. When I tried to return the favor he batted my hands away and stripped off his clothes with a determination and speed that would have impressed anyone. I watched him as he stood before me so beautiful with his predatory look in his eyes and his cock swinging enticingly between his legs as he moved closer. I tried to swallow but my throat was as dry as Sahara and the heated look in his gaze made my body burn with lust.

Slowly he crawled up my body and when I tried to reach out for him, to touch him, he took a hold of both my hands and pulled them above my head. He didn’t say a word, but it wasn’t necessary. I got the message loud and clear. I wasn’t allowed to touch, my hands were staying there. My breath was shallow and uneasy at this point and my cock ached to be touched. I lifted my hips seeking friction to get the edge off and pleaded for him to touch me when he denied me the luxury.

"Make me wolf, Tommy.”

I shook my head unable to speak actual words. Adam ran his hands and lips across my body mapping every erotic zone he could find without touching me where I needed it the most. My cock throbbed with need; I flexed my hands and grabbed the headboard to keep my hands there. 

“Please Adam, please.” I squirmed under his torturously sinful touches arching my body begging for more.

“Say you’ll make me wolf and I will.” He licked the inside of my thigh and nuzzled my balls, making me whimper in despair. 

I closed my eyes, still fighting a losing battle against my wolf and the betrayal by my own body. My wolf had known best when it saved Adam’s life. Maybe it knew best this time around too. 

Adam’s breath ghosted hot and moist over my cock and unwillingly a moaned 'yes' slipped out.

Adam beamed at me before he settled between my thighs. He pushed a little at them and I wantonly spread my legs even further. My heart was beating fast and hard, so hard I could hear my blood rushing in my ears.

The first touch of Adam’s tongue made my breath hitch and my eyes fall shut again, surrendering to the sensory overload. Adam is so fucking good at using his mouth, “Oh, god, please,” I gasped.  
  
Adam hummed around me, spreading his palms over my thighs covering the tops of them completely; he always made me feel so small and I reveled in the feeling of it. I tried to keep my hands clasped around the headboard but the need to touch him was too much and I lost the struggle. I reached down and grabbed a handful of his hair, holding on tight until he nipped at my skin. I loosened my grip a little and he ran his thumbs soothingly over my thighs letting me know it was okay.

“Fuck, please, fuck, Adam _please_.” I pleaded under my breath.

Adam hummed again, and I had to open my eyes and lift my head to look down at him. Adam looked right back at me, watching me. His eyes twinkled at me under the cloudy haze of lust covering them. I tightened my fist in his hair again and a moan vibrated from him, making my orgasm coil.  
I wanted to come so badly.

“Oh, Adam, fuck, Adam,” I gasped, throwing my head back and came hard enough to see stars behind my eyelids. 

Adam swallowed and kept sucking me through it. When I finally pushed at his head because it was just too much, he crawled back up to me, wiping the corners of his mouth with the tips of his fingers. His lips were red and abused, and the predatory gleam was still in his eyes when he glanced at me before crushing our lips together. He tasted like me, like my seed, sharp bitter and salty. I chased the taste licking and sucking until there was nothing left but the taste of Adam alone. 

“Give me a second to come back and I’ll-”

“No, you promised me something and that’s what I want from you today.”

I sighed.He was right, I'd submitted to his will and now I owed my wolf and Adam both the trust I'd decided to give to them.My wolf couldn’t have been happier with me so I rolled my head to the side, exposing my neck. “You’ll have to bite me, make me bleed and drink from me. If that doesn’t work, we’ll mix blood, but I think it will. And so does Mia.”

Adam looked uneasy for a moment but shook it off and reached out a finger to touch my neck lovingly.“Here?”

“Yeah.”

“But I’ll hurt you.” 

He didn’t have to tell me just how much he resented that, it was rolling off him in waves. I ran a hand over his arm up to his shoulder and nudged him closer. Making him know it was okay. “No more than I did you yesterday.”

He shifted and the bed dipped a little as he moved closer to get the right angle and caressed me tenderly before finally making the decision to go ahead. The pain was sharp and I had to fight the urge to shy away from it for a second but once the blood surfaced and Adam started to lick it up, the magic began and all I sensed was the bond it was creating between us as Adam’s wolf came to life.


	10. 10

Adam woke up with a jerk and stared at me wide eyed. His hand that had been holding mine loosely in his sleep tightened crushing my fingers, as he fought the alertness of waking with wolf feelings and senses. I squeezed his hand softly and whispered a good morning, his tension faded and Adam smiled back at me, bright and happy.

“How are you feeling?”I asked before kissing his knuckles softly. 

“You know how I’m feeling.”

“Yeah, but I still want it from your lips.” 

Adam smiled and a teasing glint shone in his eyes before he kissed me soft and tender and so fucking loving that I almost melted into the mattress.

“Good enough?” He asked when he pulled back.

“I meant with words but yeah, I know you’re happy.”

“What happens next?”

“We go home to face my mom and the pack. Do you feel ready for that?”

Adam was silent for a while and I knew he was searching his mind and body for the answer. I waited patiently. It was important that Adam and his wolf had an understanding of each other before meeting the pack. It didn’t matter that it was our pack he would be meeting and that he knew the wolves already. His wolf didn’t and it needed to trust in him, to trust his judgment first, otherwise it could go really wrong. The new senses he had gained overnight could really fuck with him if he and his wolf weren't in harmony. 

“Yeah. I think I’m ready for that.” He said thoughtfully. “One question though. I know your mom wanted this but will I have to-”

I didn’t let him finish that sentence; I needed to reassure him right away, because his fear was already killing me. “No honey. You were right, I was the beta and betas are not forced to defend their spot in the pack by law. My wolf easily submitted to yours and you’re the new beta. I guess Darren actually knew I would fight you on the subject and wanted me to become alpha before you, just like you said. It pisses me off that he knows how I think so well and it also makes me wonder what else he’s got up his sleeve. But Mom will turn over the alpha role when you become twenty-five, just as she would have to me.”

Adam let out a relieved breath of air. “Good. I really didn’t want to ya’ know?” he relaxed visibly and I smiled before kissing him lovingly on the cheek.

“Yeah I do.”

 

Stepping into the kitchen of my childhood home was a very surreal feeling after the two days spent alone with Adam. For starters most of the wolves were there, including Trent and Mia and then I was almost tackled by Allison who threw her arms around me and greeted me with such wolf affection that I felt a little ashamed of staying away for so long.

“Hey, sweet pea.”

“Hmm. I like this,” she nuzzled my jaw and sniffed my neck, inhaling deep into her lungs. “It never ceases to amaze me, the change that comes with love. He smells good on you, right somehow.”She whispered to me and I felt my cheeks heat up. She was the first to comment on our mating and it kind of rocked my world. Adam must have picked up on her words because he beamed and ruffled Allison's hair affectionately, making her forget all about me and attack him instead. 

I briefly met Trent’s gaze before seeking out my mother across the room. Love, understanding and pride radiated from her as she crossed the kitchen to pull me into a warm hug.

“Tommy Joe!” she said in a fake disappointed tone and I tried to copy it but missed it by a mile. I blame the frog in my throat for that. Apparently I’m a sap when it comes to things like this. “Mother!”

She pulled away enough to really look at me.

“I can’t believe you actually did that without telling me. And Mia tells me that there is going to be a wedding so I shouldn’t be too hard on you. So I won’t, I’m happy for the both of you, but you knew that.”

I nodded before I looked at Mia and shot her an appreciative smile. She stuck her tongue out at me, forcing me to roll my eyes at her. She laughed. 

Allison had released Adam and he wrapped an arm around my middle before leaning in to kiss my mother’s cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise when she sensed Adam’s wolf and she shot me a quick glance.

“Oh and I see that’s not all. You’re a wolf now, Adam.”

I felt Adam tense behind me as he suddenly felt insecure and I figured that my mother’s seniority as an alpha made Adam’s wolf nervous and ready to submit. He still had so much to learn about how the wolf would pull or push to get what came natural to it, it was no longer just up to Adam’s strong will to get what he wanted, for the rest of his life his decisions would be affected by what the wolf wanted too.

I stroked Adam’s arm soothingly and looked up at him with the intention of calming him, but his eyes were locked on my mom’s and I saw the future alpha so clearly in the way he met this little challenge. Proud out of my fucking mind my face broke in a huge smile.

“Yeah.” Adam said, carefully testing the waters between his wolf and my mom’s. “I hope that’s not going to be a problem.”

“No not at all, actually I had hoped that this would be the course of things." She looked at me pointedly before continuing. 

“But if you tell Tommy what you want from him instead of letting him figure it out on his own he will fight you all the way. He is so easy going when it comes to meeting others wishes and needs, but if you flat out tell him what to do, he’ll be stubborn and hard headed. I guess I passed that trait on, sorry about that.” 

I wanted to wipe the smiles off their faces, teasing me like that. But mom was right, I never was very good at taking orders.

Adam changed my mood instantly though, when he said, “I love him the way he is. Stubborn but passionate and fierce.”

“Good.” Mom smiled and turned her attention to me. “Now Tommy, tell me why you haven’t let Adam claim you yet.”

“Um, why? We’re mated, I claimed him. I’d say we’re pretty obvious about belonging to each other. The rest will come, what’s the rush?”

“Because Adam is wolf now, which means he falls under our laws, and of course it doesn’t make your mating invalid, but since you’re no longer my beta,” she paused and looked at Adam. “But he is, then you’re free to be claimed by any of the other alphas. It is a threat to the pack when an alpha’s mate isn’t claimed. Adam would have to fight to get you back. And with Darren on the warpath?” she shrugged and looked at me apologetically, “Well I just think it makes Adam and certainly _you_ an easy target for him. It would be right up his alley.”

I swallowed; she made a damn good point. Damn it. “Yeah, okay I see that.But can it wait? Adam can’t be alpha for the next couple of months anyway because of his age.”

Mom considered it for a moment. “Well, he could, but that would mean he took on me in a fight, and I guess there is no reason for that is there?”She looked at Adam mildly, “when I’ll give it all up in three months freely.”

Adam shook his head in agreement. “No, I don’t want to do that. I want to get to know my wolf first anyway.”

“But why do you want to wait, Tommy?” Mom asked me.

I could feel the weight of the others, sensed them holding their breaths, claiming is a big deal and obviously they wanted to understand my reasons.

“I just want Adam and his wolf to understand each other first. To claim someone, well it messes with your head and I don't want to add to the already confused state of mind that he’s in.”

I looked up at Adam, trying to apologize for putting him on the spot like that but he looked back with genuine gratitude shining in his eyes. He understood my motives and appreciated them. I couldn't even begin to describe the relief I felt because of that. He was still letting me take care of him and I realized that was one of the main reasons I had fought him so hard on the ‘turning wolf thing’. I had been scared of not being allowed to show my love and affection for him and the pack through my need to protect.

My mother interrupted mythoughts with a soft sigh.

“Alright dear, just make sure it’s done before Adam takes my place.” She turned to look around the kitchen, counting heads to make sure we were all there. 

“Now, I really want every one's attention on the warnings Mia’s pack received from Darren’s.”

And just like that the subject matter of our mating and Adam's transformation to Were was finished. No one had questioned anything or seemed surprised by the fact that Adam was now the pack’s new beta and would become their leader in just three months. I was amazed and proud of my pack.

We all talked back and forth for a while about how we could protect Mia and the others and we all agreed that the packs needed to stay close to each other and help out with patrolling the borders of our lands.No wolf went alone into the woods as long as this aggression from Darren's pack continued.Our two packs had been living peacefully side by side for almost seventy years and we shared the habitat so it was only natural for us to join together. It wasn't natural to have to prepare to face an enemy, especially not an enemy like Darren. What made things worse was the irony that he was supposed to make sure every pack lived in peace with the others. 

When all the arrangements were done Adam looked at Mia and asked if he could talk to her in private. Mia shot a worried look at me before agreeing. I felt a pang of worry too but Adam kissed my temple and told me to relax, so that’s what I tried to do. Mike, who clearly knew I needed some distraction, asked me if I wanted to grab a cup of coffee and go out on the porch with him, so we did.

“How do you feel about not being your mother’s beta anymore?”

I shrugged and thought about it for a minute. “It’s cool I guess. I kinda thought it would be much harder to give up. Birthrights and all. But I’m really enjoying how much Adam wants this, um and the way that he wants to keep me safe. My wolf seems to love that very much too. It took me some time to realize that.And when I did I felt so stupid for not seeing it.”

I sipped my coffee and looked across the meadow and into the forest, Mike did the same and it made me smile. So many hours had been spent like this while we solved the problems of the world. Some things never change and never should.

“Don’t beat yourself up over that.”

“I won’t. Much.” 

We were quiet for a while. My head was spinning with thoughts of the future of our and when I had been quiet too long Mike nudged my ribs, urging me to say what was on my mind. “I worry, about our packs, about our future. And I’m still sad that Mia’s and my dreams aren’t gonna happen. Especially now, with Darren and his interest in Mia’s pack. I really wish there was a way to work around that damn law so we could unite the packs peacefully. We’ve been living side by side for years damn it; we all know that we practically function as one pack.”

I took another sip of the coffee before looking at Mike.

“Hmm. But that’s old laws Tommy. Time changes things, makes them evolve and adapt. You shouldn’t think in boxes, you never do when it comes to anything else. Like your music for instance, you experiment with that and push until you get it right. You can do that with the laws too, they’re not rock solid. You proved that the other day didn’t you? Laws can be interpreted; you just need the proper argument.” 

“I suppose you’re right.”

Mike chuckled, “You and Mia can still make changes Tommy, and you’ll do it with Adam as a powerful alpha, just wait and see.”

“Who the fuck gave you a crystal ball?” I asked and shoved at him playfully, before being serious again.

”And why is it you think that Adam can join our packs, you’ve said it before and then asked me to be patient.”

“I still need you to be that. But I think Darren will underestimate Adam severely and that will bring changes.”

“And I should just trust you? Right?” I asked teasingly, wanting to lighten the mood. Mike laughed and put an arm around my shoulder and hugged me sideways.

“When have I ever been wrong?” He asked still laughing.

 

**

The crunch of the leaves under our feet made me relax and forget the real world for a while. Adam’s fingers were laced with mine and peace filled my soul as we were on our way to the clearing. The night after this one would be with the full moon and Adam and I had agreed it would be better for him to change to wolf of his own free will before being forced by the moon, and we both wanted it to happen at our special place, the place where it all began. I couldn’t wait to see Adam’s wolf and to let our wolves meet but at the same time my mind kept wandering back to what Adam had needed to talk to Mia in private about. When we had almost reached the clearing I caved and asked, “So what did you need to talk to Mia about?”

Adam smiled and I realized he had been waiting for me to ask. You can’t really keep something like that from your mate. 

“I wanted to ask her something wolf related and I wanted to know a little more about how our wolves would feel about each other.”

“Oh. And?”

“They’re fine, we’re all fine.”

I waited for him to continue as we walked in silence for a few steps, but when he didn’t, I looked up at him and smiled a bit of a sarcastic edge to it. “Wanna tell me about it?”

Adam seemed a little evasive and I got the distinct feeling that either he didn’t want to share with me or he didn’t know what to make of the talk with Mia. I didn’t want to linger on option one.

“Um -” he paused. 

I sensed uncertainty in him and knew he was choosing the right words carefully. It also told me that it was option two, which sort of let me breathe again.

“My wolf doesn’t feel the same way about Mia as it does about your Mom that’s for sure.”

“It doesn’t feel intimidated?” I kept my voice free of the curiosity that burned in me. 

Adam shook his head lightly, “Nooo, it feels protective of her. Just like I do.”

“And Mia’s wolf?”

“Mia and her wolf are strong and so brave together. There is so much raw power there, it’s amazing.” Adam said in awe and I felt every bit of pride he did.

“I know, but how did it react to your wolf being protective. Was it defensive? Feisty? Mia and her wolf can be quiet a handful.” I snickered and Adam laughed softly and nodded before answering my question.

“No, more like it was waiting. I don’t know how else to describe it. I think it was waiting for Mia to approve of me before it would. Does that make sense?”

“Yes it does, so it did?” 

“Yeah. And without reservation, which was pretty cool.”

I had to agree on that, my mother’s reaction was as expected but Mia had just been receiving threats, her pack was under pressure and her wolf would be very careful and alert. It would have made perfect sense that her wolf would be hesitant and demand Adam to prove his worth, despite Mia herself knowing the backstory and the fact that he'd been human.

“So her wolf acknowledged you as the beta to our pack, a status very close to being its equal, that fast and didn’t feel threatened? Hmm, that’s pretty interesting.”

“I asked her something.”

“I figured.” I said quietly, I wasn’t going to ask what even though I wanted to. Adam still had that tone in his voice and I couldn't tell if he was thinking or avoiding. If it was the latter I would have to accept that.My wolf wasn't having any trouble handing over all responsibility to him but I was still working on it.Plus, I really just wanted to be a part of everything that involved him.

Adam let out a barely noticeable sigh. “You know when Trent asked what would happen if we one day went on tour? And then the pack would be left without an alpha for months?”

“Yeah.”

“I asked her how she would feel about uniting the packs and then sharing the ‘custody’ leaving her a fullblown alpha, as opposed to a beta in charge, when I’m not home and beta when I am.”

His words took me by such surprise that I stopped and Adam turned around to look at me. My shock had to be evident on my face and in my body language. What he had suggested to Mia had never been done before and I instantly wanted to tell him that it couldn’t be done; that the laws would stop such a thing from happening, that Darren if not the whole council would deny them such an agreement. But Mike’s words about not thinking in boxes when it came to old laws made me shut up and think twice.

Smiling at me, Adam obviously knew what was going on in my head, “I know, just ignore the laws and play along.”

“Okay, I’m assuming Mia did that too?” 

Adam nodded. 

“So what did she respond to that?” 

I was intrigued now that Mike’s words kept pushing at something in my mind. Adam saw it or rather felt it and slowly as if weighing the words first, he answered me. “That she would talk to her pack about their feelings on the matter and get back to me.”

“Wow, just WOW.” I let that bit of info wash over me and while I had no doubt that Mike had something to do with her answering like that, I still had to admire Mia’s coolness, giving Adam’s new wolf that kind of bone to chew on. Maybe Adam’s wolf really was strong enough to take on the council in this matter, and wouldn’t that just be awesome?

“You know Mike said something to me about interpretation and how things adapt to the reality it’s a part of,” I paused for a moment and chased that thought that kept escaping me while holding on to the one that I kept returning to. That things evolve and adapt. 

“Maybe that’s it?” I wondered, realizing that I was doing it out loud when Adam tilted his head and looked at me searching.

“What is?”

“We should ask our pack, how they would feel about Mia being the alpha when you’re not here.”

Adam practically beamed and I knew, really knew that even though he’s very possessive and strong opinionated, then it would never mean that he wouldn’t want my opinions and thoughts. My own wolf wanted to knock him over and cuddle him silly.

“Yeah?” he asked, still smiling widely.

“Yes. Damn it! You know that feeling when you know you’re on the verge of something epic and you chase it but it keeps escaping you? I really feel like this could be important so whether I catch the damn idea or not, it doesn't matter.Tomorrow we're asking the packs. They’ll all be home because of the full moon anyway.”

Adam cupped my face and pulled me closer before kissing me tenderly.

“You got it baby. We’ll ask them tomorrow and it’ll give them some time to think about it before it's even possible to become real.”

We started walking again and I drifted off into my own thoughts, but as we reached the clearing my curiosity to see Adam’s wolf took over and I could feel Adam’s anticipation simmering beneath my skin, making my wolf restless.

“So here we are.” Adam said quietly. “How do I do this?”

I sent him a smile in an attempt to calm him, to take the edge off but his heart didn’t slow down at all. I tried to remember my first time changing but I was a toddler at the time and the memory wasn’t clear.

“First, I need to know if you want me to change with you or if you want me to stay like this,” I pointed at myself and Adam smiled nervously.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Sure it does. If I’m changing then I’m stripping too and-”

“Oh.” Huge amused blue eyes met mine and sassy smile played at his lips and all I wanted to do was to get lost in kissing him, from now to eternity.

Adam must have felt it because his eyes darkened, proving my point.

“Yeah.” I said and Adam cleared his throat.

“Then you stay like this, this time, so I can focus.”

I chuckled. “Then lose the clothes, I’ll keep them safe and I’ll talk you through it.”

Adam began to undress slowly, the wind was cold and there was a hint of snow in the air. My wolf loved it but Adam was kinda convinced he would freeze his ass of.

“Your wolf will keep you warm, just off with it, show me that hot body of yours.” 

I wanted him to focus on me instead of his nerves. The teasing seemed to do the trick because Adam’s eyes went wide and he smirked.But none the less he took my words serious and moments later he was as naked as the day he was born. There was no doubt about it, Adam was fucking gorgeous. He handed me his clothes and I put them on a huge stone before returning to him.

I cupped his face in my palms and looked him in the eye. “You need to focus on your wolf, really feel him.And when you do, you’ll know when, let him surge, let him be in charge of your body for a while. Don’t be afraid to let go of your control, it’s still yours, you already share it with him now, so you just,” I paused searching for the right word. “Just have to trust in him, like he already trusts in you. Be one with him.Okay?”

Adam nodded, closed his eyes and I did the same. Still holding his face in my hands, I felt the energy in him, how he used it, to follow my advice and give control to his wolf. I felt how they connected, how the last piece fell into place and then the wolf took over and I felt fur against my hands instead of Adam’s soft skin.

I opened my eyes to see his wolf for the very first time and he was beautiful. I held my breath and let go of his face. Stumbling two steps back to really see him I, of course, fell on my ass. Adam was over me in a split second nuzzling me.

_ Are you okay? _

“I’m fine.Jesus, you’re magnificent. Look at you!”

I pushed myself up to a sitting position and reveled in the sight of him. Adam's wolf was huge, but with the kindest eyes. There was a softness to them that was indescribable and they weren't the typical wolf's eyes.They were a strange mixture of ‘holy fucking blue’ and green.His fur was golden brown, almost the same color as my wolf’s eyes, and when the wind ruffled it and the sun shown on it, it looked very much like velvet. I reached out to touch and Adam leaned into my caress, sighing just as contently as me. When I removed my hand I compared it to his paws. His paws were fucking huge. I mean they fit his body, but compared to mine, they were really big. There was no doubt that Adam’s wolf would be intimidating to any strange wolf not to mention an enemy.

Adam just stood there letting me look at him, and I had to remember that this was about him and not my own stupid feelings, no matter how overwhelmed I might be.

“Do you want to run?” I asked him because I felt his restlessness very clearly.

_ I can’t leave you here, we promised the others that we wouldn’t be reckless. _

“Do you want me to change and go with you? I shrugged off my jacket before he could answer and was about to get off the ground but stopped when I felt his unhappiness and there was something in his scent that was a bit off. Like he had already learned how to disguise his feelings, not that he would ever be capable of hiding them completely from me, just like I couldn’t with him. After all we’re mates and we’re connected by souls. “What honey?”

_ Um, can we just _ , he stopped and I leaned back on my elbows, watching him.Waiting.

_ Can you just hug me like I did that day? Remember? _

“Sure.” I leaned forward and threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his fur, letting my hands wander like he had done that day, softly scratching. I felt his calm surrender as the restlessness quickly disappeared.

“You don’t want to run with me as a wolf?” I asked because it puzzled me that he wanted this.

_ Not today, we’ll do that tomorrow, and I want to claim you tomorrow, if you’ll let me, under the full moon. But right now I just want to be with you and to let my wolf have peace in your arms. _

“Okay.” I tried my best to sound calm but Adam talking about claiming me left me anything but.

I swallowed hard; I wanted him to claim me right away, not because of what my mother had said, though she was right, but because it was the first time Adam had brought it up by himself. And seeing how fast Adam seemed to learn everything else then I no longer had any doubts about him handling the claiming; I knew he could. And there was nothing I desired more than to wear his mark on me, to show the world that he wanted me and nobody else. I shivered, knowing that it would happen tomorrow.

_ I was thinking, that day- when I met you like this, that I belonged to you, that you owned me. Not just because you saved my life but, yeah you know. _

I tried to clear my throat and give him a proper answer, but ended up with a broken. “Yeah.”

_ And now I do, you claimed me, we mated, this is a little like closing the circle, us sitting here like this _ .

The memory of that night washed over us and I felt his arousal in the pitch of my stomach _._

_ I want to claim you so much that it hurts baby. _ He nuzzled my neck and let his tongue drag slowly over my sensitive skin. Flaming hot lust hit me and I wasn’t the slightest bit embarrassed by the whimper escaping me, and I rolled my head to the side giving him space, silently offering it on a platter, begging him to take what was his. __

_ Tomorrow baby, tomorrow.I want you to remember it every time the moon plays her tricks on us; I want to make sure you connect the moon with me. _

Adam rested his head on my shoulder and I hugged him a little tighter. I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by anything before, the absolute and total love in that idea was ruining me.

“So I won’t feel like a slave to the moon? Is that your way of setting me free?” 

I didn’t believe for one second that I deserved this wonderful man/creature in my embrace, surely I was the luckiest son of a bitch, ever.

_ I can’t do that, she’ll always demand our attention, but I can make it more about us than about her. _

He had me completely choked up and I felt a tear fight its way out of the corner of my eye and roll slowly down my cheek. “I love you.” I whispered to him.

_ I love you. _


	11. 11

Full moon. I’ll never forget that full moon or that day. A lot happened that day and night. Too much and not enough.

I woke up to the sound of a phone buzzing and the knowledge that sometime today Adam would claim me.It made me feel all warm inside. Adam groaned and rolled out of bed to answer his phone with a snarl. “It better be good Brad. I was cuddling the love of my life.”

My ears perked up at the sound of Brad's name. Adam brought it up often and from what I had been told, Brad was his best friend, from whom he had no secrets from, and ex-boyfriend. I knew my immediate jealousy was so out of place that it was plain stupid, so I did my best to bury it and I really didn’t mean to listen to the conversation but with wolf ears it was kinda hard not to.

“That’s how you greet me?” Brad’s voice filtered out to me, it was filled with laughter, rich and round.

“Sorry babe, but Tommy was all snuggled up against me, and the things that does to me.” Adam's voice was much softer when answering this time around. He looked over at me and made an apologetic little shrug and I offered him a smile in return. 

“Yeah, I know how you feel about him. But listen I just learned that tonight is a full moon!”

“Yeah?” Adam had a careful edge in his voice, like he had no idea where this was going and I remembered Adam once saying something about Brad being very impulsive and sometimes a force of nature when he put his mind to it.

“Are you safe out there tonight? And I do not mean in a ‘should I bring you rubbers’ kind of way!”

“Brad!” it was a clear warning but apparently didn’t stop Brad. I turned so I was on my back looking up at the ceiling trying to tune out their conversation and failed miserably.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean, oh fuck it!Can I meet him? Today?” 

I felt Adam’s gaze on me, but didn’t turn to meet it.

“Why? What’s the hurry?” 

“I just want to meet him, I would feel much safer if I did.” Brad said and he did it in such a loving tone that I couldn’t feel offended even if I wanted to.

“Um, yeah about that, I’msortawolfnowandthenextincommandsoI’llbefine.” 

Adam hurrying through his words almost had me laughing; I would never have imagined that the man on the other end of the phone could make my Adam nervous. Guess you learn something new every day. 

“Tell me if I got this wrong but you’re wolf now and second in command, so you’ll be _fine_?” 

Carefully Adam answered. “You didn’t get it wrong.” 

Just like Adam, I waited without breathing for Brad to the answer to that.

“Wow! Hot stuff. So, can I meet him today, ‘cause you know that would really make me feel so much better.”

There was no way in hell I could have suppressed the gigglesnort and since I was done pretending not to listen I rolled over to my side and looked at my poor boy trying to gain some kind of control over the way this conversation was going.

“Brad?! Today is not a normal day so-”

“I know that, full moon and all, but let me spend an hour and then I’ll get off your case, baby you have to understand that I need to see you in person. I haven’t seen you in two weeks, I mean I love our heart to heart over the phone but…. Just.”

It occurred to me that Brad was like Mia, he knew all the right buttons and made damn sure to push them when it was in his interest, in his defense, and Mia’s, it was clear that it was driven by love and devotion.Adam knew that too and he caved just like Brad knew he would.Adam looked directly at me and kept our gazes locked as he answered Brad.“Fine I’ll ask him. But we can’t leave so if Tommy is okay with it you have to come here.”

“I would love that. Talk to him and call me back, please Adam?”

The weird combination of plea and pure joy in Brad’s tone reminded me a little of how I sound and the jealousy spiked again. I put a lid on it immediately.

Adam smiled wickedly. “Give me five minutes okay? He’s heard every word of this and I think I need to show him just how much I really do love him before he’s okay with you sauntering into our pack all pretty and shit.”

“Shit! And then you had to say that! You’re evil Adam.” Brad sounded like he was genuinely horrified. Adam’s gaze softened and he walked over to our bed slowly.

“Naw, I just love that very possessive vibe I’m getting from him right now. Talk to you in five.”

Adam thumbed the call off before giving Brad a chance to say goodbye and then he jumped into bed and covered me with light kisses before taking a firm hold of my chin. And I let him do whatever he wanted, I just wanted to feel him close to me, to make sure my scent was all over him. So I kinda wrapped myself around him, fortunately he seemed to enjoy it.

“I loved sensing your jealousy," he murmured into my hair. "But I also love you recognizing that you have no need to feel that way. I am yours and you are mine. So, are you okay with Brad showing up today baby?”

“Yeah, he sounds like a good guy and it's obvious that you love him and he loves you.I guess it's kinda like me and Trent.There's always going to be something there and you've been dealing with Trent all this time, so today is as good as any other for us to meet.And who knows?Maybe it will make the day go a bit faster with a distraction like that.”

“Okay baby, I’ll tell him to come around in a couple of hours and Tommy?”

“Yeah?”

“Brad is kinda like a male Mia, so be aware of his major manipulative skills. And do not be fooled by his big brown eyes.”

“I won’t.” An easy promise and a much one easier to break.

“Sure you won’t, ‘cause there is no way Mia is able to do that to you is there?” Adam teased laughing.

“Noooo.” I laughed.

**

Later that afternoon our pack was gathered on the meadow just like every full moon. The air was filled with chatter and that special energy that always fills our bodies when the moon is in charge. 

Adam asked if I was okay with him meeting Brad alone at the end of our driveway so he had a chance to talk to him before bringing him up to meet me and the rest of the pack. 

I knew his real question was if I was going to hate every minute he spent alone with Brad and not really my permission to go. I understood why he wanted that time alone with Brad and despite my insecurity about meeting one of Adam’s great loves, I knew I had nothing to worry about. One look on my mark on his neck was all I needed to remind me that Adam was all mine. 

But walking that kind of distance alone wasn’t an option so I asked Jillian to go with him. She wouldn’t intrude and she needed a break anyway, her daughter Rose was all over the place, just like any other two year old would be when the full moon pulled at the wolf in her. Jillian hugged me and handed over Rose and joined Adam, who has waiting patiently. He waved and blew me a kiss and his soft laughter filled the air when Rose and I playfully pretended to catch it.

I buried my nose in her soft brown curls and she giggled when my breath tickled her scalp. She really seemed to enjoy it so we stood there for a little while watching Adam and Jillian walk away. I startled when I felt a warm hand on my lower back and Trent’s kind voice washed over me.

“You’ve always been good with kids. I’m kinda sad you’ll never have your own.”

“I have everything I want in my life, Trent. Children would have been a lovely bonus and who knows what the future might bring. Meanwhile, I’ll be everybody's favorite babysitter. It’s enough for me.”

“You amaze me.”

Slightly uncomfortable, I shifted my weight and put Rose on my hip, she leaned in and relaxed in a way she hadn’t all day. I ran my fingers through her soft strawberry smelling hair and looked at Trent. We slowly started to walk back to the meadow to join the others. “Why?”

“You ask for so little and you give so much. There was a time when that annoyed me, I mean I used to think, back when we were teenagers, that you were ungrateful for your status and it took me some time before I understood what you resented so much about it. It wasn’t the title or the responsibility, it was the powertrip that some alphas suffer form.”

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, power can corrupt and make you very egocentric. I find that terrifying.”

“And yet you handed it over to Adam, no questions asked. And you practically radiate happiness and if I didn’t love you so much it would probably make me want to puke.”

A soft smile played on his lips as he reached cross me and stroke Rose’s cheek. She blinked tiredly up at him and snuggled a little closer against my chest. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. I looked away and met Trent’s gaze. “I can’t help it. He makes happy. But it didn't come easy; I fought my wolf and Adam on the subject.”

“You did?” 

“Yeah, and I still have to fight the urge to try and take over, this isn’t easy for me, far from. I have to remind myself to trust my wolf all the time.”

“Huh. That just makes you even more amazing.”

I felt my cheeks heat and looked away. “No, it makes me confused and a little scared; but I know him, his heart, and I'm sure he won’t abuse the power. I wish I could explain it to you, the connection.”

“He loves you, that much is clear and I think it’s safe to say he wouldn’t think twice before doing _anything_ in his power to keep you safe from harm.”

“He’s a good man, Trent.” 

“I believe you.”

We reached Rose’s play blanket with all her toys, on the grass in the middle of the meadow. I looked down at her and realized she'd fallen asleep. I pushed the toys away and carefully put her down on the blanket.She made a little protesting sound when she lost my body heat so I got down next to her, lying on my side and put a hand on her little chest. Trent watched us for a second before dropping down on the other side of her. We talked quietly about nothing and everything over her sleeping body, for about half an hour before the little monster woke up and demanded that we play with her.

Rose pounced at me growling the best she’d learned and just as she expected me to do I fell backwards playing dead. Trent caught me and made a scared face, struggling to keep the laughter at bay when he faked his best horrified voice. “Rose you killed him.” 

She giggled bright and clear and kissed my closed eyelids and then my cheeks.“Wake up Tommy. “ 

I opened my eyes, “Boo.” I said and she jumped in joy. 

“Again Tommy.” Rose demanded.

Trent pushed me off him and we did the little game all over again. I was so completely lost in my playtime with Rose that didn’t pay much attention to my wolf restlessly telling me that Adam was close again. 

Rose threw herself at me once more and I fell backwards all over again, but this time I hit the blanket on the ground instead of Trent’s thighs. I held on to Rose so she wouldn’t roll off me and get hurt.

“Ouch. Trent you ass, a little warning would be nice.” I brought a hand to the back of my head, soothing the spot I hurt.

“Mommy.” Rose squealed in joy, leaving me on the blanket. 

I looked up. Adam was towering high above us and he wasn’t looking at me but at Trent and he was fuming, his jealousy burning the air between the two of them. I shot Trent a pitiful glance, I didn’t mean to get him in trouble with Adam and to be honest we weren't doing anything wrong. 

Adam tore his eyes from poor Trent to look at me. When he did, the hardness was gone and replaced with need. He opened his arms and I knew he needed to touch me, to cover Trent’s scent so I snuggled into his embrace and we rubbed our noses and cheeks together before I turned around in his arms, the familiar buzz of want and need vibrated between us and Adam kept me close with a warm hand on my stomach.

I didn’t need to see his face when he stared at Trent to know the emotions that were on display. I felt them in my heart and bones as much as I saw them on Trent, the way he looked down and away, his neck exposed in a very submissive posture. I felt it in the way Adam's hand tightened possessively on my belly, clearly showing his ownership. It made hot liquid lust pool in my groin and I melted back against him, looking up. The possessive ‘fuck off, he’s mine’ look on his face made me whimper and run my nose along his jaw before I pushed up to nibble on his earlobe. Adam put his other hand in my hair and a low keening sound was out before I had a chance to suppress it. _Yours, all yours. Honey please_. 

Adam fisted his hand and the small but firm tug on my hair was enough for me to show my neck as my wolf begged for him to claim me right there, audience be damned.

Adam groaned. _Tonight baby, tonight we make the last bond. I want you, alone, under the moon's seductive, silvery rays of light._

A fake cough and a pearly voice brought our attention back to the world around us. A brown haired, slender built and very pretty man was watching me and Adam with curiosity and humor sparkling in his big brown eyes. So this was Brad, I dried off my hands on my pants, suddenly nervous to meet this person who was so important to Adam. 

“Oh my god Adam, no wonder you’re smitten. He totes loves you being all dominant and shit and he is so your type.” Brad giggled in such a contagious way that I felt a little more at ease. 

Adam raised a brow in a small warning to Brad, who completely ignored it. 

He reached out to greet me, “Well hello Tommy Joe, aren’t you just beautiful.” 

He wasn’t teasing and he made me blush violently. I took his hand and a calm feeling of comfort and trust washed over me. My wolf was happy to get to know Brad and I relaxed knowing that I would grow to love this man as much as Adam did.

Brad turned to greet Trent, he tilted his head and gave Trent a thorough once over.

“And you must be Trent, judging by the somewhat questionable behavior my dear friend just put you through.”

Trent looked stunned by Brad but somehow he got himself together enough to nod. Brad glanced quickly at Adam before returning to Trent.

“Well, can’t really blame him, I'd be nervous too, having a gorgeous piece of ass like you around my man.”

“Bradley!” Adam snapped, “Now would be a-” 

“Oh shut up and let me flirt. You’re not the only one who deserves to get lucky.” Brad winked at Trent, who actually blushed. 

It made me so happy but before I could really dwell on it Mia’s pack began arriving and shortly after Mia arrived and asked to speak to Adam and me in private. I felt a pang of worry for the first time that day and as time would tell it wasn’t without a reason.


	12. 12

I tried to shake off the feeling of something bad sneaking up on us when we walked into the kitchen. Mia must have sensed it and shot me a worried look. I shook my head and she let it go with a small sigh.

“So?” Adam asked Mia with a curious expression. 

They shared a smile and with a cute little snort Mia asked, “I’m gonna assume you told him about our talk?” “Yeah.” Adam said, looking a bit sheepish and I nodded slowly. 

I wasn’t able to shake the bad feeling off me and I went over to the window to look out. I searched the edge of the forest for anything that could make me feel that way but found nothing, so my gaze found Brad and Trent. They seemed to really hit it off and somehow that eased the knot in my stomach a little.

“Tommy?” Mia asked worriedly. “Are you okay?”

“‘m fine. I just want to be out there.”

Adam came up behind me and enveloped me in a tight hug and I melted into his warmth, but then he tensed and I knew he saw what I did and he didn’t like it one bit. “What is it with him and the men I love?” 

I sighed a little and loved Mia for rolling her eyes and laughing off Adam’s hard tone. “Anyway,” she said warmly, making both of us turn to look at her. “I’ve got some great news to share.”

“Oh.” Adam practically beamed. “You asked them?” 

“Yes. I asked them and they all agree we'll be safer that way. They have no issue with you being their Alphaas long as it is under the terms that we discussed. I don’t know what kind of spell you cast on all of us that makes all of us respond to you like that. Must be the raw dominant vibe you put off combined with your gentle, loving nature. Whatever it is, we're on board.” Her tone was light and teasing but we all knew there was something very true to her words.

“I’m happy that’s the case.” He looked at me with a wide grin on his beautiful face. “So I guess we should talk to our pack, too?”

“Yeah.” It came out sounding hesitant, which wasn't how I felt about it. But my mind was someplace else. I was concentrating very hard on disguising my scent from them because the hair on the back of my neck was standing and my wolf was more than a little worried. Adam sent me a look of confusion and hurt, he knew something was off with me but not what. He opened his mouth to say something to me but the words got stuck on the tip of his tongue when we all heard a car stop in the driveway. Mia and I locked gazes, her eyes narrowed in anger and fear. “No, he just didn’t.”

Adam stared at Mia in puzzlement but she ignored him in favor of me. I understood her fear but I also realized this wasn't about her pack, well maybe it was, but mostly it was about who was going to be Alpha of our pack after this full moon. I tried to calm her even though I was anxious too. “He’s here to make sure I really do become Alpha tonight. It was to be expected, baby. We asked for postponement and I just broke the law in another matter, of course he’s going to check up on me. He’s not going to be very pleased with me, is he?” I snickered sarcastically trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Adam turned quickly and eyed the man getting out of the car, the low growl in his throat made it perfectly clear how Adam felt about Darren’s visit. He took a hold of my hand and laced our fingers together. ”Well let’s go say hello.”

Adam almost dragged me with him, his long legs moving fast and making me stumble before I got with the program. Mia followed right behind and I felt the scent of her anger cloud my senses. I threw her a quick look and stopped; I knew I had to calm her a bit before going out there otherwise she would boil over, and that had catastrophe written all over it. Adam yanked hard on my hand and I let out a pained, “Stop.”

Adam immediately released my hand as if he'd burned it. I sent him a look of apology. “Adam, I need to talk to Mia before we get out there.”

Adam understood right away and with a small nod he walked right out to greet Darren. I swallowed, I wanted him with me, or to be out there with him, the nervousness that kept creeping up on me made me want to cling to him like a spidermonkey. I tried to shake the feeling off because I had to calm Mia down, let her know that if she let her anger get the best of her then all hell would break loose. 

“Mia, baby, he isn’t here for you.” I cradled her face and looked her in the eye before leaning in to press our foreheads together.

“He’s here for me, to make sure I follow through with becoming the Alpha. He needs me to, because he wants me to fight Adam for dominance. He wants us to break up the pack so it becomes smaller, easier for him to win. He isn’t prepared for how badly I’ve messed up his plans, so let Mom and Adam deal with him okay?"

I took a deep breath before I continued."And _if_ there is another threat made against you we’ll all deal with it. Just calm down and be cool. He wants you hot headed, he’s waiting for you to make a mistake, that’s the message he sent home with Sasha the other day. Please don’t lose focus, don’t make it easy for him.”

I pulled back and Mia met my gaze for a long time and then she let out a little breathy sound, her shoulders relaxed a bit and I knew I had gotten through to her.

“One wrong move, Tommy, and he’s mine. You hear me?”

“Um, I think you have to talk to Adam about that.” I said, glancing outside. 

Darren and Adam were shaking hands, both seeming to measure the other one up. The one thing that stood out to anybody who happened to be watching though was Adam’s complete lack of submissiveness.He looked straight into Darren’s eyes, chin up and shoulders square. 

“Where’s Dia?” Mia wondered out loud and the fear that had disappeared came rocketing back full force. 

I realized then that I hadn’t seen Mom since Adam went to get Brad and that was about two hours ago.Mom never left the pack on a full moon day, she always made those days about family and bonding. My worry suddenly seemed to make perfect sense. Mia looked at me and took my hand and with a light squeeze she said, “I think we better get out there.”

The tension between Adam and Darren was palpable when we reached them. A thin politeness was stretched out between them and it was the only thing keeping Darren from exploding in fury and Adam from going for his throat.

There was no doubt that Darren was angry with me when his cold hard stare found its way to me.

“Tommy Joe, I see you found a way to stay in the shadows.”

I almost got frost bite from the ice in his voice, and I had to pull my wolf up by the neck to look into his eyes without acknowledging his status. I wasn’t about to show him how much his tone affected me, I was still Tommy Joe, stubborn, passionate and fierce. And Adam was the only wolf I would ever truly submit to.

“I never wanted the spotlight.” I said in defiance.

Darren scowled, “I gave you a direct order.”

“You know I can’t deny my mate what he desires, and he wanted the change, to share my world. I only did what came natural to my wolf.”

Darren narrowed his eyes when Adam put a possessive arm around my waist. A small cold smile tugged at the corner of Darren’s lips when he discreetly checked out my neck. My mother’s warning about Adam needing to claim me echoed through my head. I wanted to cover my neck with my hand even though our scents gave him all the information he needed to know about the status of our mating, just the same as a mark would have. 

“Hmm, seems like I need to talk to Dia. Where is your mother?”

“Around.”

I expected arrogance and a demanding question to my impertinence, not the cruel smirk I got from him. A slight chill ran down my spine and I _knew_ something was wrong, and all I could think was ‘where the hell is my mother?’

Darren casually looked at Adam and asked, “Do you mind I stick around until she’s back?”

I knew Adam had felt me tense and I also knew there was no way Adam could deny Darren's request, not without being rude and if anything that would make Darren and perhaps even the rest of the council see red. I knew, because I felt his dilemma.

Adam was impressive though, he kept his posture and with the most nonchalant little shrug he said, “Sure, be my guest.” Adam made a small gesture that made it clear that Darren was in charge of his own entertainment and that he was free to use the meadow with the rest of the people there.

I wish I had that kind of self-control but I didn’t and I still don’t. The tight knot of anxiety in my stomach tightened, I fucking hated Darren's games.

Darren took the offer and with one last cold glare at me he went over to the table by the porch. Several people were already gathered there drinking a hot cup of coffee and enjoying some of Mom’s awesome cookies, among them were Trent and Brad who seemed to be lost in their own little world.

I almost jumped out of my fucking skin, when Mia pushed at my mind. I immediately opened up to her and Adam, knowing it was the only safe way to communicate. I turned to look at her, my heart beating too fast not to be noticed by the rest of the pack, and Darren, if I wasn’t careful. Adam snuck a peek at Darren and obviously concluded the same because he forcefully spun me around in his arms and pulled me into a rough kiss, because he knew that always made my heart race. When the kiss ended, Mia’s voice filled my head. _We need to find your mother, Tommy._

_ I know, I have a really bad feeling about this. Something is wrong; she never disappears without saying something and least of all on a day like this.  _ I answered her. 

Mia and Adam shared a worried look before Adam’s soft voice washed over me _. I have no doubt that Darren is pissed about this turn of events. I have no way of proving this but I have a feeling that he’s up to something. I mean that smirk..._

_ Yeah, I know. Not to mention my wolf’s behavior, the last time I was this worried was - _ I felt the blood rush from my face when I realized the last time my wolf had been this.

_ Your dad. _ Mia finished for me _. Last time you were on edge like this was the day your dad died._

Adam’s blue eyes found mine but the understanding and empathy I found there wasn’t comforting at all. 

_ Fuck! _ _Listen, baby go search for her but take someone with you, okay? Someone that wouldn’t look suspicious. I can’t go with you and neither can Mia, it would be too obvious and-_

_ You’re needed here, yeah I know. _ I looked around and my eyes landed on Brad and it appeared to me that if things went sour, then this was the last place he should be.

_ I’ll take Jillian and Brad with me. _

Adam frowned and I explained. _If I take Brad with me I can get him out of harm’s way in case. I_ _can’t take Mike or Trent without alarming Darren, and I need a wolf to back me if_ I didn't even want to put voice to that thought. _Jillian is a very strong wolf._

_ The way you think. _ I got a proud smile from him. _Go baby, and please be careful and keep you mind open so I can reach you._ He pressed a chaste but lingering kiss to my lips and let me go.

I crossed the meadow slowly taking my time to small-talk and connect to everyone I passed on my way to Jillian on the play blanket, not just because I didn’t want to be obvious but because now more than ever I needed to do that. I loved each and every one of them and the thought of the worst case scenario made me want to cherish every last touch with my pack.

When I reached Jillian and Rose on the blanket I knelt down to get the hug Rose was offering me.I lifted her up and with her small arms around my neck and her face nuzzled under my jaw I met Jillian’s eyes.Jillian, who’s always been an observant person and knew me so well, asked me even before I got a chance to use my telepathy. _Where’s Dia?_

_ I don’t know and I need your help to find her. With Darren here and with the threats on Mia’s pack, I can’t go alone and- _

_ The usual suspects aren’t good choices today, yeah I can see that. _

_ I didn’t mean it like that. _ She stood up and reached out to put a hand over mine, just covering it.

_ I know Tommy and I’m honored you would ask me, I wouldn’t be anywhere else than by your side,  _ she glanced at Adam who pretended to be fascinated by something Mike was saying _, or his. Just let me hand Rose off to Sasha or Brooke._

_ Yeah _ . I squeezed the little girl in my arms a little before handing her over to Jillian. _And we need to get Brad out of here,_ I looked at Rose and my heart clenched. I know my heartache was clear in my eyes because I did nothing to cover it. _You know, in case …_ I wasn’t able to go on, not when I was looking at Rose’s sweet and innocent face.

Jillian sent me a forced smile and then her love and pride for her daughter took over when Rose snuggled close, enjoying her mother’s embrace. 

_ Give me two minutes and I’ll meet you guys in the driveway. _

Once again I tried to shake the worried feeling that was completely dominating my emotional state. When I reached Brad and Trent, I put a hand on Brad’s shoulder to get his attention. His brown eyes sparkled with joy when he turned, a beautiful smile lit up his face. An excited “Tommy Joe!” spilled out when he saw me.

“I hate to be the one to break up your time together,” I looked at Trent in apology. “Especially when you seem to be enjoying yourselves, but it’s time to go. I’ll walk you back if you don’t mind. I would love to get to know you a bit better.” 

“I can do that.” Trent said, sounding hopeful.

I shook my head. “Not today, okay?”

_ What’s up? _ He narrowed his eyes and gave me the look that said ‘fess up TJ or I’ll drag it out of you’.

_ Mom’s missing and I need to find her. Adam needs you here, it would look suspicious if you went with me, with our history… if Darren has something to do with it, which is a pretty good guess.  _ Trent threw a quick glance at Darren and Brad who clearly wasn’t stupid put two and two together.

“Oh my God, you two are talking?”

Trent’s hand shot out and grabbed Brad’s to silence him and it worked.They both looked at one another with wide eyes when their skin touched, and I smiled knowingly, happy for them.

Trent released his grip and blinked a couple of times before looking at me. I winked at him and a slow dawning smile spread on his face.

_ Take care of him and get him out of here. I think he might be- _

_ Your mate, I know. I’ll do my best. _

_ I know. _

“Ready?” I asked Brad quietly.

“No, but I guess I have no say in the matter?”

“Not really, but you’ll always be welcome here.”

Brad nodded and with a longing look over his shoulder he walked away with me to join Jillian. We began our walk up the driveway and through the forest, heading into town. I kept using my telepathy to try and reach Mom and my worry increased every second that went by with no response. Jillian tried too but with the same result. 

As soon as we were out of Darren's hearing range I let Brad in on what was going on and why we had to get him out of there. Horror wrecked his beautiful face and he immediately wanted to go back to confront Darren and I had to smile; Brad wasn’t going to make things easy on Trent. That much was clear.

Jillian grabbed my wrist. “Shhh.” She whispered. 

We all stopped and listened. And there it was a weak whimper almost drowned out by the wind _. Mom? Damn it Mom, I need to hear you, where the fuck are you? You’re scaring me._

Jillian laced our fingers together and Brad hugged my side despite not being able to hear me. We kept close as we left the driveway and followed a small trail, listening as closely as we possibly could.

“Tommy, I hate to ask, but is this a good idea? Leaving the road? I mean, can you reach Adam and let him know where we are? Or are we too far away for that?” Brad whispered.

“I’ll do that the second we find her, he’s got plenty to worry about at home and he needs to keep his focus on Darren.” 

Jillian nodded in agreement.

Another pained muffled moan reached our ears and when the wind shifted the coppery smell of blood hit our noses. Jillian sniffed the air and took a step forward but I held her back.

“Jillian, I need you to take Brad and get him home safely and I need you to get in touch with Adam, this reeks of Darren and he needs to be careful. I’m gonna change to wolf and find Mom, I need all my senses for this.”

“No, I’m staying, he’ll kill me if I leave and something happens to you.” Brad protested.

Genuine loyalty and love for Adam shone in his eyes and I saw exactly what Adam saw in this man.

“Listen Brad, I appreciate the thought, I really do. But my first concern right now is to get to my mother in time and then the wellbeing of my pack, which includes Adam and Trent.” I looked at him pointedly. “I can’t be at my best if I have to keep you safe too, and I promised to get you home safely. Please Brad, this isn’t the time to be stubborn or heroic.”

“Says the tiny and delicate looking boy. He’s never going to forgive me if-”

“Or the other way around and I’m the only one with supernatural powers here so the odds are in my favor.”

I could feel Jillian’s gaze on me and I felt her worry too. “Maybe we should stay together, Tommy. We made this arrangement for a reason.

“I know, but I need him out of here, obviously the game has changed, this just became real and I won’t have the death of Adam’s best friend and Trent’s mate on my conscience.”

“Alright. I’ll get him home and return to Adam. But please be careful, we need you. Adam needs you.” 

“You too, be careful and don’t go back alone. Call him instead and let him know where I am. We need you too, Rose needs you.”

Jillian looked at me for a long time and must have found what she was looking for because she gave me a small nod and took Brad by the arm, dragging him off after her.

I shed my clothes and shifted to my pearly white furred Wolf. I knew my fur would light up the forest but I needed to follow the scents in the shifting air and I needed the full force of my hearing to pin down where those muffled and painful moans were coming from.

_ Mom? _ Nothing. Snout to the ground I began methodically searching the area. After what was probably only a few minutes but felt more like hours, I found her in a badly disguised little cave, lying beaten and bloody.She was very weak, but alive. 

_ Mom? _ I licked her cheek and pushed hard at her mind. I got a fragile response. 

_ Tommy, please get out of here. _

_ What?No, I’m gonna change and get you out of here, we need to get you to a hospital. _

_ Darren _ , her voice faded and she drifted off to unconsciousness. 

My tears fell silently as I changed to lift her broken body off the ground and made my way back to my clothes. I followed Jillian and Brad’s scents back to the road. Mom drifted in and out of consciousness and each time my heart broke into a million pieces.Maybe that’s why I didn’t hear anything before it was too late. I felt a sharp pain crushing me before it all went black.

When I came too I could see Mom lying just out of reach. The blood I could see on her that had seemed sticky before had dried a bit and grown dark. I tried to move my hands to examine her wound but I couldn’t, they were bound behind my back.I had no idea how long I had been unconscious but there was a horrific pain in the back of my head that kept sending flashes of light behind my eyelids with each beat of my heart. I desperately wanted to shift but with my hands tied behind my back I wasn’t able to.It would dislocate my shoulders and leave me even more defenseless than I was now.

I heard someone cry in the distance and I tried to identify the voices, but it was hard with the throbbing pain in my head. I squirmed around enough to be able to look the other way and found Brad sitting in a kneeling position with his hands tied up like mine. Bruises were darkening his pretty face and his lower lip was bleeding. I groaned and looked for Jillian, but couldn’t see her anywhere. What I did see was lots and lots of wolves, most of them loved ones from my pack but many of them I had never seen before, and I knew that today was the day our pack would rise or fall.

Once again I searched the faces of the wolves around me for Jillian’s features. My eyes landed on Adam’s huge and gorgeous wolf, which was standing close to me but not close enough for me to feel safe. His eyes were nowhere near the kind ones that I'd seen the day before. A wrath was boiling in them and my stomach lurched when I asked him without really caring about who heard me, _Jillian?_

Darren’s hard and humorless laughter broke the air around me, his voice mocking and cruel when he answered. “Dead. Died defending you and your boyfriend's former boytoy.”

Rage, pure and dangerous flared in me and for the first time in my life I knew what it felt like to hate. And I couldn’t do a damn thing, bound and helpless on the ground.

Another wave of crying washed over me and I recognized the voices immediately this time, it was Rose and Sasha. My heart shattered knowing that I had been the one asking for Jillian’s help. I was responsible for giving Darren's pack the opportunity to take Rose's mother away from her. I didn’t even try to hold back the growl that rumbled out of my chest.

_ Baby, are you okay? _ Adam asked, voice filled with love and concern.

_ Yeah. _

Darren sniffed my neck and a chill of disgust and fear ran through me. Adam’s sneer didn’t help me much when he wasn’t holding me safe.

_ You didn’t claim your mate. That was dumb. I could take him now, easily. I just need to sink my teeth into that fine neck of his and he’ll have to go with me. That would make it pretty hard to run a pack wouldn’t it?Being worried about what I might do to your mate. _

Adam growled low and deep and despite what he showed the rest of the world, I felt his terror in my core.

_ It’s okay Adam, it’s okay. I’ll be fine. He won’t really hurt me; he’s too scared of what the consequences would be if he did. The rest of the council would never approve of that. _

_ Get your hands off him or- _ Adam did nothing to restrain his fury and I saw that most of the wolves ducked their heads and tucked their tails up to their bellies. Darren didn’t seem to notice though.

_ Or what? You’re not even Alpha yet, you have what three days of being a Beta and you think you can take me on? How stupid are you? _

_ Stupid enough and you just made me an Alpha. The second you wounded Dia, you put it in play. _

_ She’s not dead,  _ he paused and looked indifferent at my Mother, _yet._

I whimpered, my Mother was only a few feet from me and there was no way I could get to her. And if that wasn’t enough Darren ran his snout along my neck again.

_ No, but she’s not capable of speaking her will either and the wolves, my pack and Mia’s, will fight for Tommy any day.  _ Adam deliberately looked away from me and let his eyes rake thought the count of wolves. Before glaring hotly at Darren. __

_ And it seems you’re out numbered if we count heads _

I really didn’t want Adam throwing himself into a fight with Darren. Adam was bigger, stronger and younger, but Darren was crafty and had experience on his side, forty years' worth, and on top of that he didn’t appear to feel threatened by Adam, at all.

I have no idea if that's why the thought popped into my head or not but I had to put it out there for Adam. _Ask them Adam. Ask all the wolves one by one if they want to follow your leadership. But save Mia for last._

Adam ignored me but Trent took a step forward. _What are you talking about Tommy?_

_ Adam! God damnit!Ask them, remember when I said I had the feeling it could be epic? Ask them please and avoid all this. Don’t be the kind of Alpha that he is. Don’t make me regret turning you.  _

Adam shot me a glance and took one threatening step closer to Darren, who growled behind me. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Suddenly Darren leapt over me and was almost muzzle to muzzle with Adam. Adam didn’t budge an inch though and they circled each other the exact same way Mia and I had circled the bear only two weeks ago.

Darren sneered and my heart sank when Adam surged forward to attack. Loud snaps of teeth clashing and deep growls filled the air as dust and fur flew around us. Each time I heard a low whimper my heart stopped until I knew Adam was okay. I closed my eyes tightly; I couldn’t watch, terrified of the outcome if Darren won. Not just for the safety for Adam, even though it was the first thing on my mind but for the future of my pack. Mia’s was safe so far because she had stayed out of this. I briefly wondered how the hell Adam had managed to make that happen.

Then I felt hands on my back and heard Trent’s low voice. “Let’s get these off you. Are you okay, Tommy?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.I can’t believe he wouldn’t listen to me.” We both turned to Brad and worked together to release him from his ropes. He immediately fell into Trent’s arms and Trent wrapped him up in a grateful embrace. I ran over to my Mother and knelt beside her. I checked her pulse and it was weak but steady. I felt like a complete asshole for my happiness about it when I could hear Rose's grief-filled wails at the same time. Trent and Brad had followed me and I looked up at Trent. “Did I make a horrible mistake putting him in charge of this pack? Is he too much Alpha?”

Trent looked at the battle going on. “No, you didn’t. He’s magnificent, look at him, he’s a natural.”

I shook my head; I wasn’t going to watch if I could avoid it. The angry and forceful sounds coming from the fight were cruel enough and my heart was overworking itself in my chest.

Without taking his eyes off Adam and Darren, Trent asked, “Why did you want him to ask-”

“You left, and you could have joined any other pack, right? An Alpha needs to win the pack if he wants to take it from someone else. Then the pack is a casualty of war. But we are always allowed to leave a pack and join another one by one. That law was made for wolves like you and me. You know with unrequited love.” 

I felt like a bastard bringing it up but on the other hand Trent did find his mate today and I wasn’t really an issue any longer.“And if all the wolves in Mom’s and Mia’s pack join Adam..”

“Then they won’t have one and is free to join one themselves!”

I nodded slowly; the pain in my head was still pretty brutal and the movement made me wince.

A victorious howl ripped the air and I whipped my head around so fast I got dizzy with it. On the ground, underneath Adam with his throat bared in surrender, was Darren. Adam stood over him, wounded and bloody but nothing life threatening. His head was thrown back and he let out another howl. I let out a relieved breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding. If I hadn't been kneeling already my knees would have buckled in relief.

Adam stayed right where he was and by doing that, he forced Darren to do the same. Darren's humiliation was complete and Adam could have ended it there, but he didn’t. I don’t know if he had been listening to the conversation between Trent and myself or if he just trusted my first words on the subject, I’ll probably never know, we never brought it up afterwards. But Adam asked each of the wolves in our pack one by one if they wanted to join him in a pack, ending it with Trent, who answered with a loud and clear, “It would be my honor, Adam.” 

He stood in his human form and naked among three packs of wolves and in front of three other humans. It should perhaps have been a little mock worthy but instead it brought tears to my eyes. Adam’s gaze softened as well and I didn’t have to be bonded with him to know he was feeling equally as emotional.

Then Adam asked Mia’s pack-members the same question and one after the other they said yes. Finally only Rose and Sasha, the two Alpha’s and I remained. Once we gave our consent the pack would be formed and Darren would never be able to get the rest of the council go against it.

A little satisfied grunt came from Darren. _You can’t get what you want, Adam. My pack is yours but Mia’s? No. You need the parent of Rose to speak for her._ He paused, letting that sink in before he continued. _You didn’t think I anticipated this scenario? Why do you think Jillian needed to die?_

Adam’s strong jaws closed around Darren’s throat and put just enough pressure on it to make it difficult for Darren to breathe, not enough to kill him though.

_ We just need Rose out here. She‘ll pick her guardian, that’s what the old scriptures says. She’s a child of war and whoever she turns to is obligated to care for her wellbeing until she turns eighteen.Just like a parent. _ Mike’s voice echoed through the crowd of wolves, stern and loud and carrying all the weight in the world. 

Sasha heard it from inside the house and came out with Rose on her hip, holding her close. Adam let go of Darren to ask Sasha if she wanted to join him. He got the answer we all knew he would and Sasha put Rose down and stepped back. 

Time stopped as we all watched her look around the crowd for the face she would never find again. She started crying, the sound of it heartbreaking in its grief, until my own tears started slipping down my cheeks. 

I wanted so badly to go to her but I couldn’t. She called out for her mom, and I hated our stupid laws for putting her through this kind of torture. When she got no response she turned to Sasha and asked, “Tommy?” I couldn’t swallow over the lump in my throat when Sasha pointed to me; I took a step forward, to hell with the rules and laws. Rose ran over to me and demanded to be taken up. The moment she was in my arms she said in a tiny voice, “My Tommy.”

I kissed her forehead and whispered, “Yeah pumpkin, I’m yours.” She rested her head against my chest as a sob made her little body tremble. I looked at Adam and said. “You just won yourself a package solution.” 

_ That works for me.  _ He said, voice and gaze soft with love.

Mia walked over to stand by Adam and without letting go of Darren, he nuzzled her face in an affectionate wolf greeting. _You wanna lead this pack with me? Half of the responsibility and half of the joys?_

Mia looked at Mike before answering. _Yeah I’d like that._

We all knew what this meant; we were one big pack now. Mom would join us the second she got better and our pack was large enough to finally make a difference. There was no way the council could ignore a pack of this size. The relief in the air was palpable.

Adam raised his head and looked at the wolves in Darren’s old pack. _I have no desire to force anything on any of you. You are all free to form your own packs if you want or you are free to join us, if that’s what you want. I realize that perhaps only about half of your pack is actually here, so don’t make your decisions today but give it some thought. Right now I would prefer some time with the wolves I already know and care for.And we need time to arrange for the burial of one of our own. I hope you’ll understand and excuse us._

Adam turned his attention to Darren. _It seems I have it all now, except your place on the council. But I’m pretty sure that will be mine too, seeing as how I'm now in charge of probably the largest pack around and you don't seem to have one at all. Had you not been greedy and arrogant none of this would have happened. I leave you to find a pack that will have you in it. It won’t be this one, and Darren, don’t ever try to challenge me again, because next time you won't survive it._

Adam moved away from Darren, who quickly got on all fours and took off into the woods. I walked over to Adam with Rose securely in my arms and I ran a hand over his head and scratched behind his ear. I saw Trent lift up my Mom and he and Brad walked up to our house together.

_ Mates huh? _ Adam asked as he looked after them.

“Yeah, um, where’s Jillian’s body?I need to bury her before the full moon rises.” 

I didn’t mean to sound bitchy, but Adam knew that, knew my pain, he felt it just as much as his own, so I didn’t apologize.

_ Yeah, let me change back and get dressed. Then I’ll take you to her. We’ll bury her together. _

That day and night didn’t go at all how I expected it to. Adam, Mia and I buried Jillian at the edge of the forest before the moon rose. Because of the same moon Mom couldn’t go to the hospital, but in the end that's probably what saved her life. Her wolf’s magic pulled her through it and healed her wounds during the night.

Adam ran in the woods with the other wolves, as their new Alpha he had to. They were howling out their sorrow to the moon as I stayed home curled around a little scared pup in my bed, and Brad’s comforting hands soothing the both of us with strong fingers carding through our fur. When he wasn’t doing that then he was checking up on Mom. I was truly grateful for his silent company that night; it would have been much harder without him. I think I owe him a part of my sanity.

At the break of dawn Adam came home, still in his wolf form, and collapsed next to us. Brad left us quietly and I have no doubt that he spent the rest of the early hours with Trent. I tried to sleep but my mind kept re-playing the day and wouldn’t let me. A couple of hours later Allison came in freshly washed and in pajamas and a t-shirt. She lifted Rose, still sleeping and back in her human form, out of my arms.

“You need to sleep Tommy, I’ll bring her back in a few hours.”

“If she asks for me-”

“Then I’ll tell her you're sleeping and that you’ll find her when you wake up.”

“She might not understand that though, she thought Jillian was coming for her too. If she gets sad or asks for me then I want you to bring her back. Promise me.”

“Sure. It’s a promise. Now sleep.”

I expected Adam to sleep through the day, but the second the door clicked shut behind the girls he opened his eyes and stared at me.

“Hi Daddy.” He whispered and brushed his lips softly over mine.Slow and steady with a firm hand, he pulled at me until I was cuddled as closely as possible to his body. 

“Morning. I know it’s a lot to take on Adam, but-”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way, except for Jillian to still be with us. We’ll do our best to make her proud, baby.” 

He kissed me deep and tender but under it I could feel his burning need to own me and my wolf responded in the only way it could. It didn’t matter that we both were too exhausted to act on the lazy arousal that was present as well. When the kiss ended I bared my neck and even I could hear how broken my voice sounded when I begged him to claim me.

“But I wanted it to be romantic and while we made love, not while I was tired to the bone and aching after my first, and might I say, very hard twenty-four hours spent in wolf-form. We can wait, and make it special.” Adam argued halfheartedly.

“We just became parents, how much more special do you need it to be? And I need it, after yesterday, I really need it. Take the last thing that's mine to give, please Adam.”

We shared a look before Adam said, “I’m never going to be able to say no to you am I?”

God, I hoped not because how would we ever be equal if he could when I couldn’t? 

Adam leaned in and bit down. A pleasurable pain shot through me when he broke my skin and lapped at the blood. My world became complete. Nothing more and nothing less. Adam licked the wound to close it and we both sighed in contentment. 

“I love you. And I love that my scent is stronger on you already,” Adam whispered before finally falling asleep.

I ran my fingers over his beautiful face, touched every feature and freckle on it. “I love you too,” I whispered, feeling at peace for the first time in days.


	13. 13

Seven years later.

Rose was clutching the flowers in her hand staring at the headstone of her mother’s grave and I put an arm around her shoulder.She leaned in and looked up at me briefly.The first couple of years we did this at least once a month, sometimes once a day depending on Rose. But lately her need to be here had changed and we only came maybe three or four times a year now.

“Does it ever go away? This feeling of loss.” She whispered.

“No, it doesn’t and it shouldn’t. When we lose a loved one we lose a part of ourselves, our heart get a wound, time heals that wound but there will always be a scar. We go on and live our life, experience happiness, joy, as we should, but the scar remains reminding us of the love we shared with someone we lost and keeping them close in our memory.”

She nodded and the thoughtful look in her eyes said she understood. “It’s always worse when I visit her.”

“Yeah, I know pumpkin.”

“I think it’s because I don’t really remember her anymore.”

My heart ached at her words and the sorrow-filled tone of her voice.

“You were two years old when she died, so that’s natural, but she’s still here.” I let my hand glide down her little chest and rested it above her heart. “Because she loved you, and you loved her. And whenever you want to know anything about her all you need to do ask us. We’ll answer you to the best of our knowledge.”

“I asked Adam how she died.” She looked up, testing if it was a safe topic. We never hid anything from her, we answered her questions as they came, figuring that when she was ready to ask, she was ready to know.So her worrying was more about the sensitive soul she was. Just like Jillian she was amazing at reading emotions and situations and she knew this talk could make me sad. Seven years later and I still couldn’t let go of the guilt, no matter how hard I tried. Adam had, with the same insight as Rose, told me about their conversation a couple of days ago, so I was prepared for this.

“He told me she died defending you and Brad, that she gave her life so the wolves could live in freedom and democracy. That she was strong and fierce and loyal. That she did great things.”

“All true, but when has Adam ever lied to you? And telling you, you got a pony for your birthday wasn’t lying; it was keeping a stubborn kid from being too nosy.”

She laughed bubbly and joyful and it was one of the most perfect sounds ever created, but I was probably a bit biased. 

“Yeah, I kept looking outside instead of searching the fucking house.”

“Language, young lady. Watch it.” I kissed her hair and cursed myself; her language was my fault, no doubt.

She rolled her eyes but nodded, too. She looked at the flowers and arranged them a little before laying them down. With a little sigh she straightened up and I couldn’t fight the urge to ruffle her hair.

“See you mom.” She whispered to the silent stone. I cleared my throat trying to get rid of the lump so I could speak. “But pumpkin, do you know what was her greatest achievement?”

“No.”

“She _did_ give her life fighting for mine and Brad’s lives. She _was_ brave and loyal and fierce. And the day she died changed our history. I mean, Adam became the youngest member of the council, ever, after that day. _But_ the biggest and most precious thing she ever gave to the world was _you_. She was someone you could be proud of and you should be, but so are you. And we’re so proud of who you are and what you work on being every day. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” She looked at me with so much love that it overwhelmed me. I got that look from her daily and from Adam too maybe even more so, but somehow it still took my breath away, every time. 

She put her little hand in mine and we headed back toward home. For a while we walked in silence, I could feel she had something else on her mind and I waited patiently for her to spill it.

“Dad?”

“Hmhmm.”

“Can you really die from a broken heart?”

Judging from her tone this was a dead serious question and it threw me completely off guard. “What?Why do you ask that?”

“I heard Brad say it to Trent. I wasn’t eavesdropping I promise, but last night while I was trying to fall asleep, they were talking about it right under my window and I couldn’t help but hear.”

I wondered if Brad and Trent were having some kind of quarrel that I hadn’t noticed. “Were they arguing?”

“No.” 

She avoided looking at me and played with a lock of her hair, which was a sure way of knowing that something was really bothering her. I put a hand on her shoulder and made her stop walking, she was still avoiding my gaze and I frowned. “Rose, what is it that you’re really worried about?”

“Losing you and Adam.”

“Losing? But why? What the hell did Brad say?” I could feel anger pooling in my stomach, Brad was in trouble when I got back home, scaring my little girl like that.

“That when Adam has to go to England next week with the council, you’ll be so brokenhearted that it’ll kill you.”

“Oh.” Pure relief made me huff out a little laughter. “Pumpkin, what he meant was that I’ll miss Adam terribly much and be sad that he’s away. Not that I’ll actually die.” 

She nodded. “But Trent said that Brad wasn’t allowed to make such jokes because he was sure there never was a stronger bond than yours. That Adam and you are really special and that he felt certain that when one of you did die the other would follow soon because of a broken heart.”

For a moment I didn’t know what to say to her. I already knew our pack and the rest of the Were-community thought Adam and I were more than the average mated pair. Maybe they were right, what did I know? I just loved him with my entire being. And to be honest we had talked about what would have happened if one of us had died that horrible day seven years ago and we both felt like there would have been nothing left to live for if the other one were gone. I swallowed. I wasn’t about to share that with her.

“Dad?”

“I’m not- I don’t know what to say. Um, my mom and dad mated, like Adam and me. But she didn’t die from a broken heart, Rose.She’s still here.So-”

“But are you and Adam special? I know he has never left without you before.”

“I dunno honey. And you’re right, next week will be the first time he’ll leave without us. See? He never leaves without you either, he loves you too much.”

“I’m not worried that you and Adam don’t love me. I know you do. I’m scared to be left behind….again.”

There are days like this one, where my hatred against Darren flares in me. I love my little girl, but she should never have known this feeling, should never have to be scared of losing her loved ones. On days like these I question his right to live on and I hate him for making me feel that way. I shook it off and focused on Rose.

“I’m not dying, Adam’s not dying, but if we were, then you would never be left behind. You got a pack of seventy wolves loving you. You’ll never be alone.”

She looked up at me, still reading my every emotion and I began to think that maybe I wouldn’t appreciate the next question that came out of her mouth.

“I….. when Adam told me about that day,” she went quiet for a while obviously searching for her words while studying me, “he told me that you were worried and your wolf knew something was wrong. Almost but not really like a psychic.”

“Yeah?” I asked carefully. 

I was surprised Adam had told her about that. We had never really talked about my wolf’s ability to sense danger. Not that Adam hadn’t tried to, but I kept shying away from the subject. I mean what’s the use of feeling or knowing something bad is gonna happen if it doesn’t mean you get to decide the outcome?Jillian didn’t benefit from it did she?

“Do you feel-”

“No, I’m not worried pumpkin.” That wasn’t the actual truth; our council was meeting up with two European ones to discuss some renegade wolves, which could be really dangerous if they weren’t dealt with. But I didn’t feel an imminent threat to Adam’s life. 

“But why can’t we go with him then?” 

“Grown up reasons pumpkin. I assure you that I won’t die from a broken heart while he’s gone. I might sulk and be moody as hell, but then you probably will be too, just because we’ll miss him.”

“I already miss him.” She said with a smile.

“Me too, let’s go home and find him.”

 

Crossing the meadow to my childhood home, with my kid by my side and knowing it was her home as well always made me feel good and safe and loved. But walking straight into Adam’s arms, and being hugged like he doesn't know how to survive without me can't compare to anything else in this world.

“God she is growing up too fast.” I mumbled into his chest. “I can’t stand it; I want to keep her as a child forever.” I looked up at him and bright blue eyes gazed back at me. “Make that happen.” I demanded.

Adam laughed softly and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I might make your world spin baby, but not even I can do that.”

“Then take us with you when you go.Please?”

I knew I was playing dirty pool, and it might not kill me to be alone for four days, but I sure didn’t want to spend them without him either. And you can’t blame a guy from trying right?

A smaller body pressed its way in between us, and Adam lifted Rose up, she was getting too big for that, she really was but I guess Adam wasn’t ready to let her grow up so fast either. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him like a spider-monkey. “Yes Daddy, take us with you, we love you and need you and we’ll be moody and sulky if you go without us.”

Adam raised an eyebrow at me above her head and I shrugged.

Adam gulped down a heavy breath, getting ready to argue this with me once again. “But we agreed-”

Rose cut him off.“But we always go with you and I know it isn’t like when Dad plays the guitar and you sing. But I can totally look after Dad while you’re working. Please, please, please.” 

I could see Adam wavering and I gave him my best wounded puppy eyes. “Please?” I asked and wrapped my arms around both of them.

Adam’s face went soft and he kissed Rose on her cheek before I got a small peck too. “How am I supposed to-”

“YAY.”Rose yelled in delight and victory.

“I didn’t say yes.” Adam began.

“But you’re gonna ‘cause you can’t say no to Dad. And then he won't die from a broken heart.” Her laughter filled the air and I knew she didn’t mean it the way she did earlier, but Adam sent me a look of confusion. 

_ What was that about? _ He asked.

I smiled and ruffled Rose’s hair when Adam set her down on the floor. “I’ll tell you later, so can we come?”

“Yeah, we’ll make it happen somehow.”

Rose sent me a million dollar smile and winked. Her face scrunched up in the most adorable way.

“I’m gonna tell Dia and you can kiss Daddy silly like you always do.”

And with that she ran off, I looked up at Adam and a slow sexy smile spread across his face. “So about that kiss?” 

I surged up and began my mission of kissing him silly.


End file.
